MONOGRAPHS FOR AN AMATEUR GARDENER'S LIBRARY. 359 
MONOGRAPHS FOR AN AMATEUR GARDENER'S 
LIBRARY. 
By E. A. Bowles, M.A., F.E.S., F.L.S., V.M.H. 
[Read November 6, 191 7 ; Mr. G. Loder, F.L.S., in the Chair.] 
[Note. — The books marked with an asterisk (*) in this paper may be con- 
sulted in the Lindley Library, at the R.H.S. Offices, Vincent Square, S.W.] 
A good definition of a monograph is given in De Candolle and 
Sprengel's " Elementary Philosophy of Plants." " By a monograph 
we understand a complete account of any one family, tribe, or genus, 
nothing being neglected which is necessary for a perfect knowledge 
of it.". 
A more concise one is found in Dr. Daydon Jackson's " Glossary 
of Botanic Terms." * "A systematic account of a particular genus, 
order, or group." 
Pritzel extended a wider use to the word, and in his index of 
botanical books and pamphlets, " Thesaurus Literaturae Botanicae," * 
classified as monographs works on single species or forms, and even 
on the medicinal use of a particular plant. 
This practice increases the list to such a length that it would be 
impossible for us to deal with a tithe of those he mentions. How- 
ever, many of these works are of too strictly botanical a nature to 
interest the ordinary amateur, many deal with cryptogams, and 
others have been superseded by later publications. 
Yet, as many amateurs interest themselves in some special genus 
and are greatly helped by a knowledge of all the books bearing upon 
it, they would do well to consult the two-score pages Pritzel devotes 
to monographs, to find out what works have been published on their 
chosen branches of study. 
I propose to select for notice a few of the monographs on the 
more popular orders or genera of plants, but to omit those on Orchids, 
Roses, Fruits and Vegetables, Chrysanthemums, Dahlias, and some 
other florists' flowers, the publications on which are so numerous 
that they deserve separate lectures by experts in each branch. Very 
nearly complete lists of such books are to be found in Mr. Harman 
Payne's useful " Florist's Bibliography" * (Wesley, Strand, London, 
2nd ed. 1913). 
The amateur who has chosen the genus Iris for his line of work is 
fortunate, not only because he will find several books to help him, 
but, if he can afford one that sells for six guineas, he may be guided 
and stimulated in his work by what to my idea is the model for all 
future monographs, Mr. W. R. Dykes' " The Genus Iris " * (Cambridge 
University Press, 1913). 
