NOTES AND COMMENT 



The summer of 1911 will remain noted in the annals of Plant Geog- 

 raphy by reason of an excursion through the British Isles under the 

 able guidance of the British Vegetation Committee, an organization of 

 enthusiastic plant geographers who are systematically studying the vege- 

 tation of Great Britain and Ireland. The history of this excursion very 

 properly goes back two years to an expedition conducted through Switz- 

 erland by Professor Schroter of Zurich, the great Swiss plant geographer 

 and prince of excursion leaders. On that occasion there were several 

 foreign guests, among whom was Dr. Tansley of Cambridge, who was 

 thus inspired to plan the great international excursion of 1911, with 

 the able assistance of Dr. Moss and other colleagues of the Vegetation 

 Committee. 



The party which assembled at Cambridge, August 1, was truly inter- 

 national, consisting of Professor Schroter and Dr. Riibel of Zurich, 

 Professor Drude of Dresden, Professor Massart of Brussels, Dr. Osten- 

 feld of Copenhagen, Dr. "Lindman of Stockholm, Professor and Mrs. 

 Clements of Minneapolis and the writer and his wife of Chicago. A 

 few days later we were joined by Dr. Graebner of Berlin. The party 

 was accompanied throughout the tour by the leader of the excursion, 

 Dr. Tansley of Cambridge, and by Dr. Druce of Oxford, the well- 

 known specialist on the British flora. A varying number of British 

 botanists were with us at the points visited. 



The inauguration of the excursion at Cambridge was most delight- 

 ful; shortly after the gathering at the Botany School, there came a 

 luncheon at Emmanuel College and a ramble through the college 

 grounds. The first afternoon was devoted to the Botanic Garden, 

 where the party were the guests of Mr. Lynch, the director, and his 

 wife. The second day was given to a study of the aquatic vegetation 

 of the Cam under the guidance of Dr. Moss, terminating in luncheon 

 at the home of Dr. and Mrs. Tansley in Grantchester. That evening 

 the gentlemen of the party were entertained at dinner in St. John's 

 College by Professor Seward and Dr. Blackman, and the ladies were 

 entertained by Mrs. Seward at her home. 



As an index that strenuous field work, rather than a succession of 

 luncheons and banquets, was to be the chief order of the trip, the third 



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