4 THE TEACHING BOTANIST 



shall try to develop in a later chapter. I wish here 

 merely to make plain the leading idea which is at the 

 foundation of this book. 



The introduction of the principles of Physiology 

 and Ecology into elementary courses in the Science 

 of Botany is not only forced upon us by the present 

 state and trend of the Science, but is of immense peda- 

 gogic value as well. Plant structure, and relationships 

 as based upon structure, have been relatively so well 

 studied that investigators are coming to concern them- 

 selves more with the forces and influences which deter- 

 mine structure. Physiology is giving the interpretation 

 of Anatomy, and Ecology that of Morphology. The 

 conception of the Plant as first of all a living, breath- 

 ing, working being, with its functions controlling its 

 structure, is not only the truest, the most objective con- 

 ception of it, but is as well the one which excites the 

 greatest human sympathy and interest. It is, then, 

 not only unfair to our students to continue to offer 

 them a conception of lesser worth, but also is a 

 refusal to accept the best "method" which the Science 

 has at present to give us. The introduction of Physi- 

 ology and Ecology is the most marked characteristic 

 of progress in botanical teaching to-day, and amply 

 explains their prominence in the present work. 



Those who have observed the rapid advances in the 

 teaching of the Biological Sciences in the past few years 

 must have noticed the answering changes in the books 



