1893.] Botany. 49 
formation of science. This nomenclature that we are striving to 
improve will have the appearance of an old scaffolding, made up of 
parts laboriously renewed one by one, and surrounded by a heap of 
more or less embarrassing rubbish, arising from the accumulation of 
ieces successively rejected. The edifice of Science will have been 
constructed, but it will not be sufficiently clear of all that has served 
to raise it. Perhaps there will then come to light something very 
different from the Linnzan nomenclature—something will have been 
devised for giving definite names to definite groups.” * * * 
“Tn the meanwhile, let us improve the system of binomial nomencla- 
ture introduced by Linnzus. Let us endeavor to accommodate it to 
the continued and necessary alterations that take place in science, and 
for this purpose let us diffuse as well as we can the principles of the 
method ; let us attack slight abuses, slight negligence, and let us come, 
if possible, to an understanding on debated points. We shall thus 
have prepared, for some years to come, the way for better carrying out 
works on systematic botany.” 
Engler and Prantl’s “ Naturlichen Pflanzenfamilien.’’— 
This great work is making such headway that another year will nearly 
complete it. During 1893 we are promised the Fungi, Hepatice, 
Musci and the Pteridophytes. The Gymnosperms and Monocotylodons, 
are already completed, while but few families of the Dicotylodons 
remain to be worked. Recent numbers treat of the Composite (74), 
Oleaceæ, Salvadoracese and Loganiacee (75), and Myxogasters and 
Fungi (76), the last by the well-known Mycologist Schröter. His tab- 
ular view of the system of classification of the Fungi which he adopts 
is instructive. See page 50. 
Mo. Bot. Garden, 
1895. 
