Landmarks of Botanical History 



By EDWARD LEE GREENE 



^ 7 TRODUCTORY 



PHILOSOPHY OF BOTANICAL HISTORY 



ANY history, in order that it shall merit well the name and an- 

 swer the requirements, must have its definite philosophy. History 

 presupposes some end awaiting attainment, and in itself it would 

 seem to be a well connected record of the thoughts, the words, and 

 the deeds that have either furthered or hindered the attainment of 

 that end. It does not, however, assume that the actual makers of 

 history recognize the ultimate end. That is something which not 

 even the wisest can foresee otherwise than dimly and with much 

 uncertainty. The aim of the science of botany, for example, 

 being the fullest and most perfectly systematized knowledge of 

 the plant world philosophically considered, it still is true that not 

 one in a hundred among the rank and file of real contributors to- 

 ward this ultimate purpose has had it definitely in view. The 

 great bulk of botanical work hitherto accomplished has been done 

 in detached pieces, and by such as had only proximate ends before 

 their mental vision. And for the very best of research work no 

 more is needed. He who carefully investigates and puts on record 

 the whole life history of a dandelion or of a violet; who gives the 

 whole anatomy of a few mosses, reeds, or sedges, or indicates the 

 morphologic distinctions between the pollen grains of hollyhock and 

 those of thistles, or traces the development of either one; who brings 

 out the philosophy of the twining of a morning-glory stem, or 

 indicates the organogeny or the functions of the stipules of vetch 

 and pea; or he who after years of critical field study catalogues, 

 with original notes and observations, the flowering plants or the 



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