ELEMENTARY BOTANY IN GENERAL EDUCATION. 363 



electrolysis is generated in the form of nascent oxygen, which is 

 far more active than ordinary oxygen. A molecule of the ordi- 

 nary gas contains two elementary atoms, which work upon each 

 other ; with the electrolytic generation, however, a single atom is 

 sent off, and this is chemically very active. It is sometimes called 

 ozone ; but chemists say that a molecule of ozone contains three 

 atoms. Now, there is no known method of chemically manu- 

 facturing ozone in large quantities, and ordinary oxygen does not 

 produce the required effect. 



Again, Planters supposition, that the charging current pro- 

 duced these two gases only, is incorrect. The sulphuric acid in 

 the water, which he supposed only assisted in the conduction, 

 really acts upon the lead in forming lead sulphate. This has its 

 use in preventing the charged battery from running down when 

 not in use, and from too rapidly expending itself when put to use. 



A more perfect system of storage batteries is much to be de- 

 sired. Already electricity is a staple article, and has a market 

 price of so many cents per ampere-hour. But its sale is of neces- 

 sity confined to limited areas. As soon as these can be extended, 

 by means of storage, an improvement in our commercial welfare 

 will become apparent, and the fear arising from the predicted loss 

 of our coal-supplies, will not trouble the minds of our immediate 

 posterity. 



ELEMENTARY BOTANY IN GENERAL EDUCATION.* 



By Peof. MARSHALL WARD. 



AS I understand it, we may regard the study of botany as 

 approachable from three points of view. We may speak 

 of three ends to be attained : those of (1) elementary botany as a 

 school-subject of general education ; (2) advanced botany, as a 

 subject of university or academic training, with a view to teach- 

 ing and research ; (3) special botany, for various purposes in after- 

 life e. g., those of foresters, planters, agriculturists, horticultur- 

 ists, brewers, medical men, timber merchants, etc. 



This is, of course, a merely aribitrary division for the argu- 

 ment, and not a philosophical classification of the subject-matter 

 of the science of botany. 



The next point is the scope of the teaching in each case. I 

 should advocate that all children pass through the preliminary 

 training embraced under No. 1 . Not only so, but I would urge 

 the usefulness and importance of elementary botany in schools 

 quite apart from its possible pursuit afterward. 



* From a discussion at the Leeds Meeting of the British Association for the Advance- 

 ment of Science, reported at length in Nature for October 23, 1890. 



