86 
ing of the American Association for the Advancement of Science 
in 1892, after the botanists there present had been engaged in an 
earnest consideration of the principles of plant nomenclature for 
many years, a subject of discussion in which most American 
botanists had taken part. An interchange of views between those 
who were present showed that while there were many differences 
of opinion in regard to details all were practically agreed as to 
certain fundamental principles. A committee was, therefore, ap- 
pointed to prepare a draft of a code, which draft was subsequently 
presented, discussed, amended and finally adopted. This is now 
known as * The Rochester Code.” 
This committee was then continued with power to prepare and 
print a list of the plants embraced within the area covered by the 
sixth edition of Gray’s Manual of Botany, with the addition of the 
States of Kansas and Nebraska, and the Canadian Provinces from 
Manitoba to Newfoundland, in accordance with the principles 
enunciated in the code. The committee immediately went to 
work and were able to present the list, in manuscript form, almost 
complete, at the next meeting of the Club, at Madison, Wis., in 
1893. 
The committee was then increased by two members, and was 
authorized to proceed with the printing of the list. Several minor 
points not determined by the Club, such as capitalization, insertion 
or omission of commas and use of trinomials, were referred to the 
committee with power, decided by vote of the members, and the 
final result is the volume now before us. 
That it will meet with the approval of over three-fourths of the 
working botanists in America, we think there can be no question. 
The Rochester Code is and has been accepted by such a large 
‘Majority that it is safe to say no work of magnitude could hope 
for future success here if based upon different principles. Some of 
the minor rules adopted in the printing, however, are not yet 5° 
generaily accepted and may be expected to remain as matters of 
discussion for some time to come. Commas may be either omitted 
or retained between the specific or varietal name and the authority; 
capital letters may or may not be used tor specific or varietal 
_ names derived from persons or places, etc., and varieties may OF 
-May not be written as trinomials. These are minor matters. 
