INAUGURAL ADDRESS. 63 



INAUGURAL ADDRESS. 



BY PROFESSOR WILLIAM TRELBA8E. 



In its conception, the new School of Botany is represent- 

 ative of the spirit of the nineteenth century, the hope of 

 its founder being that it may not only advance the science 

 of botany, but prove useful in the pursuits of practical life 

 to which that science can be made to contribute. To real- 

 ize this hope, the school should, from the first, be governed 

 with a comprehensive knowledge of the possibilities of bo- 

 tanical work, and a clear understanding of the conditions 

 which favor and oppose it in America, and especially in this 

 great Mississippi Valley, in which we are located. 



While it would be premature to make this inaugural a state- 

 ment of plans, no better opportunity will offer for a con- 

 sideration of the elements upon which the usefulness of the 

 school must largely depend. Foremost among these is the 

 growing demand for able instruction. 



Popular education, and a development of that love of the 

 beautiful in nature which has so long been near the heart of 

 Mr. Shaw, in the creation and maintenance of the magnifi- 

 cent garden and arboretum of which every resident of this 

 favored city is justly proud, are foremost among the objects 

 of the new school which is to enjoy these advantages. I 

 have no doubt this part of our work is more comprehensive 

 than it would at first be thought, by one not a botanist. 

 When the word botany is mentioned, the most common idea 

 that it calls up is — learning the names of plants. A mutual 

 knowledge of plant names is a prerequisite to the exchange 

 of ideas between botanists, and the acquisition of this 

 knowledge is of the greatest importance ; yet the study of 

 elementary botany includes much more than this. 



In planning educational courses in elementary botany, 

 work of this character cannot be overlooked; yet the time 

 that can be given to a short course in one of the sciences 



