64 THE TEACHING BOTANIST 



in part given through reading, of which I shall speak 

 elsewhere, and it may well be given in part by lec- 

 tures or their equivalent. Lectures following the 

 laboratory work in particular topics, which are then 

 treated comprehensively and correlated with others 

 and with the general subject, are certainly most valu- 

 able, and full of meaning to students after their 

 actual practical study, though they are of small value 

 without it. The lecture itself should be a study in 

 induction and proportion, as fully illustrated, inter- 

 esting, and suggestive as possible. I have found in 

 my own experience that the best balance between 

 the different kinds of instruction is, two two-hour 

 laboratory periods (actually more for most students), 

 and one lecture and one demonstration (or recitation) 

 hour a week. 



Very important, too, are field excursions, the oppor- 

 tunity for which varies greatly. Theoretically, it might 

 seem better if most botanical study could be done 

 out of doors, but practically the greater part of it de- 

 mands tools and other facilities, including physical 

 comfort, unobtainable away from a good laboratory. 

 In the excursions the teacher will of course direct 

 attention to the larger phenomena of adaptation, the 

 topography or physiognomy of the vegetation, the 

 plant associations, etc. This kind of study will be- 

 come much easier and more profitable in the near 

 future as the subject becomes more fully systema- 



