BOTANICAL INFORMATION. 217 



II. Natural hybrids should be sought for, especially amongst dioe- 

 cious plants ; and where dioecious plants are gregarious, the average 

 proportion of males to females should be attended to. Instances should 

 be searched for of unisexual plants ripening their seed abundantly 

 where the male individuals are rare or not found. 



III. The Botanical Collector should endeavour to ascertain the 

 number of species growing in small areas (1-10 square yards) in locali- 

 ties which are either particularly rich or poor in species, with the view 

 of ascertaining what relations may be traced between elevation, soil, 

 climate, etc., and the influence these conditions have upon vegetation. 

 It would, for instance, be of the greatest interest in these respects to 

 compare 



The Prairie, Swamp, and Forest Floras. 



The Floras of the Plains near and far from the base of the Kocky 

 or other mountains, and of elevations of 4000, 8000, and 



10,000 feet, etc. 

 The Floras of the Eastern and Western declivities of mountains. 



The Floras of Granite districts, with those of Limestone and 



■ 



other formations. 

 During short halts, approximate estimates of the number of species 

 occurring on swards, etc., may be taken in a very short period, and 

 should be noted down, and a number of such approximations is of more 

 value than a very few absolutely accurate lists, the disturbing influences 



beiug very many and great. » 



IV. In spring, the Collector should observe the times of leafing and 

 flowering, etc. of bushes and trees, and of the germination of seeds 

 (specimens of germinating seeds should be preserved, especially such 

 as present much variation in their cotyledonary leaves), and whether 

 these phenomena are rapidly or slowly developed over considerable 

 areas, and in what plants it progresses with most uniformity, etc. 

 Where the vegetation appears to be unusually retarded or accelerated, 

 the temperature of the surface-soil, and at three feet depth, should be 



ascertained whenever possible. 



V. As far as possible the collector should make himself acquainted 

 with the names of the more common and conspicuous plants of the 

 districts he traverses, by means of Professor Asa Gray's ' Botany of the 

 Northern United States,' and of their ranges, etc., as inchested in the 

 Appendix to Sir J. Richardson's ' Boat-Voyage through Rupert , 



VOL. IX. 



2 r 



