Botany. 277 



III. Botany. 



1. The Illustrated Flora of the Northern States and Canada* 

 — When it was announced a few years ago tbat we were soon 

 to have an illustrated flora of northeastern America, and that 

 the preparation of this novel work was to be in the hands of 

 Professor N. L. Britton, American botanists received the news 

 with great interest. It was generally understood that on a 

 number of fundamental points, such as the selection of both 

 generic and specific names of plants and the conception of 

 specific limits, the author of this proposed work was at vari- 

 ance with the usage of the distinguished botanist whose man- 

 ual was then the only existing standard work covering north- 

 eastern America. It was, of course, assumed that in this new 

 book those principles and conceptions would be worked out, and 

 consequently, as the three volumes of the Illustrated Flora have 

 appeared from time to time, they have been received with an 

 interest doubtless greater than that which they would otherwise 

 have aroused. Besides the desire to see the treatment of certain 

 groups by Professor Britton and his associates, there has been 

 a further anticipation of each volume on account of the illustra- 

 tions — a unique feature in an American work of this scope. Alto- 

 gether, then, this book must be regarded as one of the most 

 important recent contributions to the literature of systematic 

 botany. 



The Illustrated Flora, as stated, has been prepared by Professor 

 Britton, with the aid of a number of specialists and draughtsmen ; 

 and in the execution of the work the author has had the helpful 

 cooperation of Judge Addison Brown. As we glance over the 

 volumes, we are impressed with the neatness of their general 

 appearance. The cuts, generally three on a page, are symmetri- 

 cally arranged, dividing the space with the equally symmetrical 

 descriptive text ; and the accepted names, synonyms, descriptions, 

 etc., have each their distinctive type. 



In the adoption of the so-called Engler and Prantl system of 

 arrangement, though as stated it is accepted with slight varia- 

 tions, the authors are to be congratulated, as that system, better 

 than any other yet devised, gives us a near approximation to a 

 natural arrangement of all plants. In capitalization, too, the 

 book is certainly to be highly commended, for it adheres to good 

 English usage, capitalizing the initial letters of all substantive 

 specific names and all of personal or distinctly geographical 

 origin. In fact, the work may be considered ultra-conservative on 

 this point, adhering to the capital initial for geographical adjec- 

 tives, a usage which many botanists, more conservative on the 

 whole than the present authors, are tending to abandon. Another 

 point which it is gratifying to see emphasized is the prouuncia- 



* An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States, Canada and the British 

 Possessions; by Nathaniel Lord Britton, Ph.D. and Hon. Addison Brown. In 

 three volumes. New York. 1896-98. (Charles Seribner's Sons.) 



