30 THE TEACHING BOTANIST 



schools of small equipment, give precedence to the 

 external anatomy, terminology, and classification of 

 Flowering Plants, in this following Gray's " Lessons." 

 Others make much of minute anatomy. Some treat 

 the morphology and ecology of the higher Plants 

 with little reference to the lower. Yet others give 

 special emphasis to the lower groups, making of first 

 importance a study of these and their relationships. 

 Finally, a few attempt to combine the most important 

 parts of each of the others, naturally adding some 

 experimental physiology. And there are all grada- 

 tions and combinations of these diverse plans. 



Without any doubt each of these courses has ad- 

 vantages, and it is very certain that any one of them 

 in the hands of an enthusiastic advocate is better than 

 any other taught with indifference. But it is impos- 

 sible that plans so diverse can be in the abstract 

 equally good, and the very fact that each has merits 

 lacking in the others, shows that each (except per- 

 haps the latest-mentioned) is in something deficient. 

 Surely, aside from individual opinions, and granting 

 fair facilities, there must be a plan objectively more 

 excellent than any we have yet found which shall 

 utilize the best which exists in the different ones, and 

 be more complete than any of them. If such a course 

 could be agreed upon, it would form a most valuable 

 standard of comparison and ideal toward which to 

 work. But in addition to these theoretical considera,- 



