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232 



clear. The proceedings of the Botanical Section of the A. A. 

 A. S. at Cleveland will, perhaps, have throu^n some light on this 

 point before these sentences meet the reader's eye. Whatever 

 action may be taken there, however, the first duty of the friends 

 of the movement will be to formulate their doctrine exactly, and 

 to organize the entire body of its supporters in some simple but 

 efficient manner. Possibly the best method of doing this would 

 be to present to the botanists of the country for signature some 

 such document as the following: 



Agreement of the Botanical Nomenclature League 



OF North America. 



We, the undersigned, botanists of North America, hereby 

 mutually agree to use in our herbaria, and in all our published 

 botanical writings, those names which, according to our best 

 knowledge, conform most closely to that LAW OF PRIORITY 

 which requires; 



L That the first published specific or varietal name of a plant, 

 given to it in accordance with the binomial system of nomencla- 

 ture, whether appropriately or not, shall be perpetually and 

 strictly maintained (only necessary grammatical changes being 

 permitted) as the trivial appellative of that plant, unless by some 

 transfer it should become identical with the generic name, or in- 

 admissible because of previous use in the same genus, in which 

 cases the trivial name next in point of time shall take similar 

 precedence. 



II. That when two or more generic names have been regu- 

 larly applied to the same genus, the earliest shall be maintained, 

 to the entire exclusion of any of later date. 



On some such basis as this a sufficient organization might be 

 quickly and easily effected. No officers would be required, ex- 

 cept a volunteer secretary to receive the signatures and have 

 them published. The few dollars necessary for postage and in- 

 cidental expenses would be readily forthcoming without the 

 formality of a treasurer. 



The reader is specially requested, however, to bear in mind 

 that this agreement is not now offered for signature, but solely 

 for discussion — for criticism — for amendment, if need be; — or it 

 will be withdrawn altogether if anything more effective and ac- 

 ceptable should be suggested. As it stands, it embodies pretty 



