210 THE PLANT WOELD 



Altogether tlie work is an eminent example of what a local flora should 

 contain in order to meet the demands of modern taxonomic study. 



We regret that it is impossible to speak in commendation of Mr. 

 Fernald's work. It is characterized by a jumbling together of species 

 wherever there appears to be a similarity of characters, no attention 

 whatever being paid to geographical considerations. On the other hand, 

 many so-called varieties are recognized, a practice resulting in fully as 

 many names, even though grouped under one specific head. One illus- 

 tration may serve as an indication of the general style of treatment. 

 After explaining that the cones of Bettila nana, a species of Greenland, 

 northern Europe and Asia, have deeply 3-lobed scales, and that those of 

 what has been called B. MicluiMxii, confined to Arctic America, " are 

 made up of simple oblong scales," Mr. Fernald unites the two because 

 he finds a single specimen from Greenland having both simple and lobed 

 scales ! The biological facts in the case, we think, scarcely warrant 

 such unsound conclusions. If all species showing the slightest inter- 

 gradation are to be united we may as well cast to the winds all consid- 

 erations of ecology and morphology and return to the Linnaean 

 taxonomy. 



Mr. Fernald's introduction bears many evidences of too hasty pre- 

 paration, for on no other hypothesis can we explain such a sentence as 

 this. " The examination of the birches by the writer has led to the 

 uniting of some well-known American and Old World trees and shrubs." 

 By what process other than grafting can any human being unite two 

 trees or shrubs ? And what is meant by the expression " circumboreal 

 regions ?" We fail to find any authority for the supplanting of the well- 

 known word " circumpolar " by this meaningless word. It is to be 

 regretted that the care and study which Mr. Fernald has evidently 

 bestowed on the material at hand has not aided him to establish a 

 more rational systematic treatment of the birches. C. L. P. 



Editorial. 



During the latter part of 1901 the scientific world was electrified 

 by the announcement that Mr. Andrew Carnegie had donated the sum 

 of ten million dollars for the founding of a great institution to be located 

 in the City of Washington. Among the aims as set forth by the donor 

 are: (1) to promote original research; (2) to discover the exceptional 

 man in every department of study whenever and wherever found, inside 

 or outside of school, and enable him to make the work, for which he seems 



