HITCHCOCK: STUDY OF THE LOCAL FLORA 261 



ness, and care in technique. The proper interpretation of 

 results from observed data requires clear thinking. Clear 

 thinking leads to clear writing. While it is occasionally true 

 that a clear thinker may through carelessness write in an am- 

 biguous or indefinite manner, he lays himself open to the sus- 

 picion that his thinking is no clearer than his writing. For 

 the sake of himself and of his associates his results should be 

 given with all the conciseness that is consistent with clearness. 

 The literature upon all subjects is now so extended that no 

 inconsiderable part of a scientist's time is devoted to reading the 

 published results of others. Every man owes it to his associates 

 to reduce to a minimum the time required to read the record 

 of his results. Furthermore, a verbose report is often tempo- 

 rarily set aside with the intention of examining it when there 

 is more time, an intention that is rarely fulfilled. If the report 

 actually requires a wealth of detail there should at least be a 

 succinct summary. We should learn early in our career that 

 the really new and valuable points brought out in an investi- 

 gation are usually few, and that these few points should be 

 laid before our associates with clearness and precision, and not 

 hidden in verbosity nor diluted by a mass of detail. To be 

 able to compress statements of results into a small compass 

 without loss in value to the scientific world is an evidence of 

 distinction. 



I cannot leave this subject without touching upon the ques- 

 tion of technique, a question considered by some as trivial or 

 inconsequential. I feel constrained the more to confide in you 

 at this time because I have the misfortune to be a member of 

 two editorial boards. The editors find that some writers will 

 nearly choke to death over a comma, that others think punctua- 

 tion marks are merely to be distributed over the page for orna- 

 mental purposes; that some use words to express their thoughts, 

 that others use the same words but obscure their thoughts; 

 that some are so burdened with technique that their thoughts 

 seem imbedded in paraffin, that others look upon technique as 

 an editor's instrument of torture. But seriously, technique is 

 as important to the writer as to the painter, the sculptor, or 



