3837.] 



of a W ork on Indian Botany, 



473 



by my public engagements, I think it necessary to add that prompt 

 payment is indispensable to the continuance of the publication ; as it is 

 quite impossible for me to carry on so costly a periodical from my own 

 very limited resources, and on these alone it must mainly depend in 

 the outset. In England, authors of such works are differently 

 situated. There, they contract with a publisher, possessed of the 

 means of continuing the publication until the probability of remunera- 

 tion is ascertained j but he, to remunerate himself for the risk and 

 sacrifice of capital at the outset, charges a profit of from 30 to 40 per 

 cent, on the cost, while he enjoys every facility which former experi- 

 ence, and the advanced state of the arts in Europe, give, to ensure the 

 work being got up in the best style and at the lowest charge. In 

 Madras the case is totally different : this is the first publication of the 

 kind ever attempted here ; we are, therefore, without experience, have 

 no practised publishers, no colourists, find it even very difficult to get 

 colours, and must depend on the chance of the market for our supplies 

 of paper, in place of ordering it direct from the maker, of whatever 

 size, quality and price might appear most suitable ; here, in short, every 

 thing must be done for the first time. I mention these incidental 

 sources of disappointment in anticipation, lest imperfections should 

 occur at the outset which might be unavoidable in Madras, but which, 

 in more favourable circumstances, would justly merit censure. 



In conclusion, a few words are required to make known the accom- ' 

 panying figure. The genus Boucerosia was first established in my 

 Contributions to the Botany of India, and then consisted of two species 

 only, B. umbel lata and B. crenulata ; both of these are at once distin- 

 guished from the present, by having their flowering branches termi- 

 nated with a many flowered umbel, of rather long pedicelled (lowers, 

 whereas in this they are solitary, or few, and short pedicelled ; thus 

 forming a second section in the genus, which may now stand thus : — 

 § I. Floribus umbellatis 

 Umbellis multifloris. 

 B. umbellata corollac segmenlis glabris. 

 B. crenulata corollas segmentis longe fimbriatis* 

 § II. Floribus subsolitariis. 



B. paucifiora corollas segmentis ciliatis. 



To Robert Cole, Esq. Yours very faithfully, 



Editor to the Madras Jour. Kohert Wight. 



of Lit. and Science, 



