THE AMERICAN BOTANIST 



155 



Once more we call attention to our list of permanent 

 subscribers. This list, which is steadily growing, consists of 

 those who consider themselves regular patrons of the maga- 

 zine and who expect us to send it to them until they definitely 

 order it stopped, paying each year when most convenient. In 

 this way they avoid the possible loss of one or more numbers 

 betw^een the expiration and renewal of their subscriptions. In 

 view of the permancy which attaches to such subscriptions, the 

 rate to permanent subscribers is 75 cents a year. No sub- 

 scriber will now be placed on the permanent list unless he 

 subscribes for at least two years in advance at the reduced 

 rate, though thereafter he may pay 75 cents annually as the 

 others do. A transfer to the permanent list carries with it 

 no obligation to continue a subscriber longer than the time 

 paid for and we suggest that many more of our readers w^ould 

 find this method of subscribing both convenient and econom- 

 ical. 



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Those who bind their magazines and wish the volumes 

 to be of equal size are informed that the type area of the new 

 magazine has been so arranged that it may be cut down to 

 its former size without any loss of appearance except that 

 which comes from wider margins. 



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Only a short time ago, new species of plants were de- 

 scribed without much regard to the fundamentals upon which 

 all good species should be based; in fact, it was seriously 

 doubted whether there were any fundamentals of this kind. 

 It was usually sufficient if some eminent authority thought his 

 plant distinct enough to^ warrant a new name. The fascinating 

 researches of the plant breeders into the workings of Mendel's 

 Law, however, are rapidly changing our views upon this im- 

 portant question. If the scientists have not yet given us exact 

 rules for distinguishing species, they have, at least, given us 



