110 MICHIGAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCE. 



just the right one is not so easy. What does this influx of botanical 

 text-books mean? Simply this, there are many persons interested in 

 botany and the subject. is undergoing rapid changes. New discoveries 

 in new channels make it an inducement for teachers to try a hand in 

 making a new book. At present, the subject is in a somewhat chaotic 

 condition. 



I have shown myself 1o be a person who lacks decision of character, 

 by not being able to select a text-book for beginners that just suited 

 me. I have tried several, to at last discard all of them; and finally to 

 put into the hands of competent instructors, — and no others should 

 attemfjt to teach, — a small work I made myself. Of course you have not 

 seen it, for it is not in the list of any publisher. 



In the preface I wrote the following lines: 



''I object to telling students at every step what they are to see, or 

 to imply as much by numerous direct questions. I think it unwise to 

 place in the hands of beginners books containing good pictures of what 

 is to be learned from specimens. To give him a full text and good 

 pictures is much like XJiacing a translation in the hands of one who is 

 studying Greek, Latin, or German. Excepting as a model now and 

 then, I do not think it best to supply printed schedules for plant study." 



With those views in mind, all we need to put into the hands of a 

 student is a brief outline of the course and a good glossary at the end 

 of the pamphlet. Students are all supplied with good specimens in 

 abundance at all times of the year. In such case what is the use of 

 pictures, except to tell the students what to look for and having seen 

 that, thev believe thev have seen all there is to be discovered? Their 

 curiosity ends then and there. 



Neither is it a good plan to lecture a class of young students implying 

 that you are telling all there is known on a certain point, — that there 

 is nothing more to learn about the subject. Tell them, rather, that no 

 one knows it all, that here is a fine chance to make original investiga- 

 tions and you are about sure to be right in such statements. 



As helps to teachers of botany, no one can afford to neglect to read 

 The Teaching Botanist, by W. F. Ganong. Published in 1899 by the 

 Macmillan Co. 



To my students who are about to study by the aid of a compound 

 microscope, I take great pleasure in reading parts of a most interesting 

 paper by Dr. W". G. Farlow on Biological Teaching in Colleges, and 

 printed in the Popular Science Monthly, March, 188G. Some of you 

 may like to secure the The Xew Botany — a lecture on the best method 

 of teaching the science, by W. J. Beal. Third edition. 1890. Published 

 by The Rural New Yorker. Xew York City. 



