20 
THE AMERICAN BOTANIST. 
meadows are fairly blue with violets and yet not one of these 
showy flowers ever sets seed. The seeds are produced late in the 
year by inconspicuous flowers, and the early blue blossoms seem 
to be designed by nature solely for the children. Picking these 
flowxrs will not injure the plant in any way. It would seem far 
better to establish certain permits for picking the flowers, and de- 
tail some of the numerous park employes to superintend the pick- 
ing, than to protect these useless flowers as is now done. The 
fact that certain flowers could be gathered by permission would 
certainly teach children that the others were not to be touched. 
An applicant to whom we recently mailed a sample copy of 
The American Botanist sent back an order for the back vol- 
umes and a year's subscription with the remark: '1 like this 
sample copy very much, it is so comprehensible to the amateur 
botanist" and another adds in renewing her subscription. 'T find 
the magazine useful and interesting." These two letters have 
struck the key-note of our policy with regard to this publication. 
To make a useful and interesting magazine that is comprehensible 
to the beginner in botany as well as to the advanced student is our 
sole aim. To accomplish this we need an abundance of original 
notes and we hope our readers will have the Botanist in mind 
when preparing articles for publications. 
The Journal of Mycology has again made its appearance. It 
was begun in 1885 by Prof. W. A. Kellerman and continued four 
years, then the U. S. Department of Agriculture issued three vol- 
umes after which it was discontinued. The new series is in charge 
of Prof. Kellerman and the initial number which contains 48 
pages makes a very encouraging beginning. A portrait of Prof. 
C. H. Peck is given and there is a very complete and extensive 
index to North American Mycolog}^ The journal will be issued 
quarterly. 
