254 The Plant World. 



might assert that these figures represent the relative importance 

 of the subdivisions of the subject, and the casual examinaticn 

 of the contents of a recent volume of the Botanisci^es Cent:al- 

 bJatt would make is obvicus to the most prejudiced reader 

 that the actual present actixity in botany is far dilierent from 

 that indicated from the analj sis cf this thesis list. It may be 

 profitable therefore, to inquire into the conditions responsible 

 for this botanical misfit. This v. ill lead at once to a considera- 

 tion of the things \\hich determine the direction of the activi- 

 ties of a ; oung botanist. The factors in the order of their actual 

 force appear to be, first, the specialization of the instructor, 

 second, the equipment, facilities and material available, and 

 third, the predilections of the student. The training of the 

 incumbents of the principal chairs and most important teaching 

 positions in America has been one in which morphoIog\- pre- 

 dominated and it is readily apparent that e [uipment for v^ork 

 in anatomy, ftmbryology, cxtology and taxonomy are much 

 more easily procurable than the facilities for experimental vvork 

 in physiology. The content of most problems in taxonomy 

 and morphology is snugly definable and sharply limited. Both 

 instructor and student are inclined to follow the line of least 

 resistance in selecting \\ork, and vath more regard to the possi- 

 bilities of mechanical completion than to the elemental im]-)or- 

 tance of the questions to be ansv ered. 'J he attaiumeiit cf a 

 formal stage in an academic career, especiall} for a l)e.uii nor, 

 does not suggest plans for experimental research in pkiKt \h sies, 

 chemics, or morphogenies, consequently candidates are fre- 

 quently permitted to spend two or three }ears upon topics, 

 which may yield little beyond discipline, and a moiety of assort- 

 able information. Neither this training nor the perspecti\e 

 required with it.however, fits the young botanist for an appre- 

 ciation of the direction of the mo\ ement of botanical science at 

 the present time. Lacking this comprehension, he may not be 

 expected to render very efircient service in presenting the essen- 

 tials of the subject in teaching, to contribute materiallv to its 

 development or to aid in the articulation of its principles w ith 

 those of nearly related sciences. 



That the unhampered choice of a normal proportion of 

 candidates would lead them into experimental work is well 



