VOL. XVII, PP. 173-180 DECEMBER 27, 1904 



PROCEEDINGS 



OF THE 



BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON 



PLANT AE ANDRE WSEAE. 

 BY AVEN NELSON. 



It is a source of no little pleasure to find the number of those 

 who are interested in the " wild flowers " constantly increasing. 

 It is an added pleasure when the interest shown is directed to 

 their preservation and propagation, as well as to their collec 

 tion and study. In Mr. D. M. Andrews, of Boulder, Colorado, 

 Rocky Mountain botany has found an appreciative student who 

 approaches the subject from the practical as well as the theo 

 retical point of view. It is true that Mr. Andrews' work has 

 a commercial side to it since he is engaged (and most success 

 fully) in the 1 introduction of native Colorado plants. But that 

 is merely establishing here a condition for the study of our flora 

 that was practiced elsewhere under less favorable conditions in 

 the pioneer days of western exploration. To understand this 

 we need only recall how many of our best known species were 

 described from plants grown in the English gardens from seeds 

 secured by the earliest collectors. For purposes of study Mr. 

 Andrews' plants are better since, being grown in practically 

 their usual environment, they represent approximately normal 

 development. 



I would call attention to the fact that the course Mr. Andrews 

 is pursuing incidentally furnishes the very best evidence of the val 

 idity of species. It were well in this day of multiplied species, if 

 we might have many such tests as the following examples illus- 



35 PROC. BIOL. Soc. WASH. VOL. XVII, 1904. (173) 



