THE DUNES OF LAKE MICHIGAN 



THEO. J. STOMPS 



Amsterdam, Holland 



It was a great delight to me to be invited by Professor Cowles 

 to join the International Phytogeographic Excursion in the 

 United States during the months of August and September, 1913. 

 In fact I feel inclined to acknowledge that the months I have 

 spent in America, belong among the most happy ones which I 

 have known in all my life. Friendship is the one thing we all 

 need, whether scientific men or not. Friendship has fallen to 

 our share from all sides during the excursion all along. A most 

 hearty companionship always existed among the members of our 

 party, leading to a better understanding of each other's work 

 and to a higher appreciation of opinions which were not our 

 own. And wherever we came, we were received in a most cor- 

 dial way not only by fellow scientists but also by others who, 

 though knowing little about our work, still showed a great inter- 

 est in it; a continuous display of American hospitality. The 

 excursion programme was arranged in a splendid way, allowing 

 us to get an insight into the vegetation of a whole continent. 

 One must get a feeling of perfect happiness by living, traveling, 

 working for several weeks under such favorable circumstances. 

 I wish to render thanks to my American friends for this most 

 memorable summer and especially to Professor Cowles, our emi- 

 nent leader. I can assure him, that I learned much in many 

 respects, more than I ever could have expected. 



I think we all got the impression, that our excursion was ar- 

 ranged in a progressive way. Gradually we passed to more 

 interesting plant-formations and to more beautiful scenery. In 

 order to fulfil my promise to Professor Cowles, to write a treatise 

 on some point that has struck me most in the vegetation, I would 

 therefore have to deal with my impressions of some trip or other 



205 



THE PLANT WORLD, VOL. IS, NO. 8, 1915 



