S95 
Natural History. — Botany. 
In regard to the access which Dr Hooker will have to new and 
interesting vegetables, we conceive that few naturalists can be 
more favourably circumstanced than our distinguished author, 
since he has, as it were, at his very door, the recently established, 
but well stored collection of the Royal Botanic Garden of Glasgow, 
which is almost daily receiving additions from all parts of the world. 
His friend. Dr Graham, our Botanical Professor, has liberally of- 
fered to Dr Hooker the use of whatever may deserve his atten- 
tion, in the splendid establishment under his direction ; and the^ 
Messrs Shepperd of the Liverpool Botanic Garden, have already 
communicated some invaluable plants from their fine collection, 
which have found a place in the first part of the Exotic Flora^ 
now published. To these important sources of materials, we 
may add, that the Honourable the Directors of the East India 
Company, have, we are informed, in the most handsome manner, 
allowed him the use of a large portion of their inestimable col- 
lection, which includes drawings and manuscripts of East Indian 
plants, sufficient in themselves, to furnish an immense stock of 
materials to the botanical publisher. 
We have barely space to give a brief notice of the contents of 
this first part, which, as will all the following ones, contains 
twenty plates (the folding ones counting as two.) Tab.'l. is the 
Caladium Seguinum^ or Dumb Cane^ so named from the circum- 
stance, that its virulent juice, when applied to the tongue, causes 
a swelling which deprives the sufferer of the power of speech. 
This plant, a native of the West Indies, rises to the height of 
five or six feet ; and, in this representation, the author has adopt- 
ed an excellent plan of reducing the whole to a small, but high- 
ly finished figure, thereby conveying a correct idea of the habit 
of the plant, and subjoining portions which are of the natliral 
size. The analyses of the fructification, magnified, here, as in 
the other plates, are highly satisfactory »Tab. 2, Rhipsalis 
Cassutha^ a plant hitherto unfigured. Tab. 3. and 4. are devot- 
ed to the beautiful, though well known Neottia speciosa^ with 
ample dissections. Tab. 5. A new fern, Aspidium WaMicMiy 
named in honour of the author’s correspondent Dr Wallich, of 
the Calcutta Botanic Garden. Tab. 6 . Dorstenia.arifblia^ A 
novel species, sent from Liverpool. Tab. T. Lycopodium den- 
dmideum^ one of the Club-mosses^ several of which are now ^iic- 
