WHAT BOTANY IS OF MOST WORTH ? 45 



necessarily represent a compromise between many dif- 

 ferent and often conflicting considerations. Such a 

 compromise, following the recommendations in this 

 chapter, and in every detail worked out in the labora- 

 tory, is given in the Outlines contained in Part II of 

 this book. They have two Divisions. The First 

 includes the Principles of the Science of Botany, 

 worked out by following the higher plant through 

 its cycle of seed, seedling, adult, flower, fruit, to seed 

 again, the unfolding of each successive organ being 

 made the basis for the study of the physiological or 

 ecological principles controlling its development. The 

 Second Division includes the Natural History of the 

 Groups of Plants from Algae to Spermatophytes ; here 

 the principles learned in Division I are applied to the 

 understanding of the place in nature of the leading 

 groups and their most important representatives. 



The conclusion of this chapter then is this, that from 

 all points of view the most valuable elementary course 

 in Botany is a synthetic one, which confines itself to no 

 one phase or division of the science, but takes from 

 each what it has of most value to o'ffer. 



