VOL. XX. ( 2 ) 
NOTES 
169 
and second editions, are a familiar feature in the history of 
County Flora literature. But after all there comes a moment 
when the balance of probability sinks in favour of publishing ; 
and if the work of putting existing material into shape can be 
finished during the next two or three winters, the preliminary 
Flora should then be undertaken. 
Unfortunately, many occupations prevent the Editor from 
devoting steady work to his task all the year round. If it 
were possible to give ten or twelve hours a week during most 
of the year, or even during the winter, to the work of compila- 
tion it would long ago have been completed. But even though 
no more has been done during the last twelvemonth than steady 
evening work from the New Year up to the time when gardening 
became possible, yet very large inroads were made upon the 
mass of undigested material even in that short time. The editing 
of a Diocesan Calendar, examination work, the manifold duties in 
and round the house which every country parson nowadays has 
to fulfil, all the botanical field work of the summer, the task 
of refereeing in the genus Rubus — now, alas ! left to me alone 
in England — to say nothing of the work proper to my office, 
these and other things too often put County Flora work into 
the background. 
But, let me repeat, such good progress was made last winter 
as to encourage hopes that at any rate the stage at which 
undigested material is arranged and laid open for survey will 
be completed within eighteen months, and all obstacles to the 
preparation of the MS. for the preliminary Flora will thus 
be removed. 
H. J. Riddelsdell. 
