VII. ON BOTANICAL BOOKS AND 



THEIR USE 



BOOKS are the storehouses of knowledge, but in 

 order to make full use of their advantages, one must 

 learn where and how to seek in them that which he 

 needs. How to use books profitably is therefore an 

 important phase of the education of both teacher and 

 student. For the teaching botanist, books fall into 

 three classes : first, those to be read for self-improve- 

 ment ; second, books of reference ; third, text-books 

 for class use. 



In the preceding chapters I have tried to emphasize 

 the real aim of scientific teaching, which is the culti- 

 vation of the scientific habit of mind to the end that 

 a scientific instinct may become a part of the student's 

 mentality. No teacher who lacks this scientific habit 

 of thought, or who has it but indifferently developed, 

 can lead others into it, and he is likely to be the 

 most successful teacher who has it the best developed. 

 Self-improvement in this respect is therefore a first 

 duty of every teacher, and while the best of all ways 

 lies through original investigation, something can be 

 accomplished by the reading of good books, especially 

 such as are recognized as models of scientific exposi- 



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