250 THE PLANT WORLD 



Editorial. 



It has recently been brought to our attention, that, within an in- 

 terval of some four years, specimens cut from a single tree have been 

 passed upon by experts in the genus to which this tree belongs, who 

 have been able thus far to name sixteen species, all growing from the 

 same root ! We do not take exception to the abstract idea that all 

 properly definable forms of plants should be named and described, but 

 with such an example as this before us — and it is not an isolated in- 

 stance — we can not rid ourselves of the suspicion that some of this 

 " splitting " has been done hastily and on an insuflicient basis of facts. 

 It was to be expected that our earlier botanists, who were doing j)ioneer 

 work, should have overlooked some forms abundantly entitled to recog- 

 nition, but it is inconceivable that the proportion of such unrecognized 

 species should stand as 1 to 20. At this rate it can not be long before 

 each "species " will be a genuine type and each individual a " species." 



The Board of Trustees of the Carnegie Institution have made an 

 appropriation of $8,000 for the establishment and maintenance of a 

 desert botanical laboratory for the fiscal year 1902-1903, and the 

 Executive Committee of the Institution have appointed Mr. Frederick 

 V. Coville and Dr. D. T. MacDougal an advisory board in relation to 

 this undertaking. 



The proposed laboratory has been established for the purpose of 

 making a thorough investigation of the physiological and morphologica 

 features of plants under the unusuul conditions to be found in desert 

 regions, with particular reference to the relations of desert vegetation 

 to water, light, temperature, and other special factors. A resident in- 

 vestigator to be placed in immediate charge of the laboratory will begin 

 a series of researches upon certain more important problems outlined 

 by the advisers, and facilities will be provided by the aid of which a 

 few other investigators from any part of the world may carry on work 

 upon any problem connected with desert plants. 



This project, which it is to be hoped is only one of many in the 

 direction of botanical investigations, is to be highly commended. The 

 laboratory will be a center of research of unequalled facilities, and if 

 an efficient director is appointed we may feel confident of the good re- 

 sults to be attained. 



