Scientific Intelligence. — Miscellaneous. 383 



Genera. Species. 



Acotyledonous plants, . 140,015,000 



Monocotyledonous plants, . 1450 14,000 



Dicotyledonous plants, . 6300 67,000 



9150 96,000 



— (Professor Balfour's Botany, Part II., Physiology and Classifi- 

 cation,^. 996.) 



35. Geographical Distribution of Plants. — From all that has 

 been said on this interesting subject, says Professor Balfour, we are 

 led to the conclusion that many plants must have originated primi- 

 tively over the whole extent of their natural distribution ; that cer- 

 tain species have been confined to definite localities, and have not 

 spread to any great distance from a common centre ; while others 

 have been generally diffused, and appear to have been created at 

 the same time in different and often far distant localities ; that mi- 

 gration has taken place, to a certain extent, under the agency of 

 various natural causes ; that geological changes may, in some in- 

 stances, have caused interruptions in the continuity of floras, and 

 may have left isolated outposts in various parts of the globe ; and 

 finally, that social plants were probably created in masses, that being 

 the natural arrangement suited to their habits. — (Balfour s Class- 

 Book of Botany, Part II., p. 989.) 



GEOGKAPHY. 



36. Dr Barttis Discoveries in Africa. — From the end of March to 

 the end of May last year, Dr Overweg made a successful journey from 

 Kuka, in a south-westerly direction, and reached to within 150 

 English miles of Yacoba, the great town of the Fellatahs; while Dr 

 Barth went north-east, on a journey to Baghirmi, a powerful king- 

 dom between Lake Tchad and the Upper Nile, which had never been 

 previously visited by any European. Dr Barth reached Masena, 

 the capital of the country, on the 28th April last year, which place 

 formed his head-quarters during the three successive months. — (Sir 

 Roderick, Murchisons Address to the Royal Geographical Society 

 p. 110.) 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



37- Industrial Education. — If industrial education must be 

 cheap, in order to be successful, we may say with equal truth, that 

 its teachers must be well paid. In these countries the worth of a 

 man is estimated by his pay ; and if we judge by this standard, the 

 most worthless people are those to whom is intrusted the education 

 of the people. This rule not only applies to the humble teacher of 

 a country school, but to the most eminent professors of colleges. A 

 simple clerk in a Government office very often receives three or four 



