4*26 On the construction 
Flora, by the ready mode of transcribing from the general works of 
a similar nature, and so small a share of fame attaches to the most 
laborious, and even original, exertions in this way, that we cannot 
attribute a great share of the motives for writing, to the small va- 
nity of making a book, large or little. 
First, a local Flora, we take it, ought to relate to a definite area, 
and not pretend to include a wider space than has been really and 
well investigated. In neglect of the latter part of this rule, all the 
negative evidence, or that touching the absence of species, becomes 
altogether worthless ; and, in some instances, it is rendered worse 
than worthless, by inducing botanists to presume the absence of 
particular species, within the specified area, contrary to what is the 
fact.- If no definite limits be fixed, both positive and negative evi- 
dence are greatly diminished in value, and the pretended local Flora 
is very little better than an imperfectly got up fragment of a gene- 
ral Flora. Secondly, we should have a full list of species and the 
more remarkable varieties ; the nomenclature being adapted to that 
of the standard Floras which relate to Britain generally ; generic 
and specific characters, descriptions and references, being altogether 
omitted. The necessity of as full a list of species as possible is 
founded on the importance of thus marking the absent species, as 
well as those which do exist within the area of the Flora. Conve- 
nience suggests a uniformity of nomenclature with that employed 
in the general Floras ; the synonyms, from two or three of the stand- 
ard works of this kind, being added to species described in such 
works under different names. All references to pages, &c. are thus 
rendered unnecessary, the name itself becoming a clear and unex- 
ceptionable reference ; while the omission of other references takes 
off so much from the bulk and cost of the work. The frequent cus- 
tom of referring to the figures in English Boiany is altogether un- 
necessary. Only the local student can need such references, and 
he finds them all in the general Floras ; if, indeed, as often happens, 
these references be not utterly useless to him, from want of access 
to the plates cited. It is on the score of their being unavoidably 
attended by a great augmentation in the prices of the works, with- 
out any equivalent advantage, that we would make a clean sweep- 
ing away of all descriptions of plants, whether limited to the gene- 
ric and specific characters, or being of a more detailed kind. To 
persons who already know the plants, such descriptions are quite 
unnecessary, and almost every student of botany will possess one of 
the general Floras, in which the descriptions may be found set forth 
quite as well. Indeed, as we have intimated, such descriptions are 
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