IHE ALUMNI JOURNAL 



233 



ure to observe the rule of priority. If such a 

 result has occurred in the past, a continuance 

 of the cause will continue to augment the result. 

 The enforcement of the rule of priority, while it 

 will undoubtedly result in a sharp increase in 

 the number of synonyms for the immediate 

 present, will almost entirely cut short their 

 multiplication in the future. For this conclu- 

 sion we are not obliged to depend upon specu- 

 lation, as we have a perfect precedent in the 

 experience of the zoologists. The success at- 

 tained in this direction by the workers in that 

 branch of science is one of the most frequent 

 and powerful arguments used by those who 

 favor priority, yet we do not remember to have 

 ever seen any reference made to it by those who 

 argue upon the other side. 



But this is not the only, nor the most import- 

 ant result hoped for from the rigid enforcement 

 of the rule of priority. If, for example, the "In- 

 dex Kewensis" had been based upon such a rule 

 it would unquestionably have paved the way for 

 the intelligent use of plant names, without the 

 necessity of appending the name of the author, 

 a practice which in the present state of affairs 

 would make botanical writings in this depart- 

 ment largely unintelligible. It is, of course, 

 impossible to ever annihilate a synonym once 

 made. It must continue to be in existence as 

 long as it remains in print. But there is a way 

 to practically annihilate it by rendering it in- 

 operative. If, therefore, the ideas of the advo- 

 cates of priority are to be fairly interpreted it 

 must be said, not that they aim to add fifty 

 thousand, or any other number of synonyms to 

 encumber the ground, but that they hope to re- 

 move therefrom all synonyms, and to leave each 

 plant with but one recognized name. For the 

 statement quoted above, this should be substi- 

 tuted: "They would remove five hundred thou- 

 sand synonyms." It is because it is believed 

 that this result can never come from any half- 

 way measures that the rigid enforcement of the 

 rules is insisted upon. That the most rigid fol- 

 lowing of the rule of priority is to prevail in the 

 United States there appears not the least doubt, 

 and we fully expect to see our botanical names 

 written in the near future without the use of 

 the author's name, reference being made to the 

 list officially printed as indicating the sense in 

 which such names are used. 



(^lass Notes. 



'93 NOTES. 



Peter Freicze, Jr., has bought the store of 

 Mr. H. Schmelz, corner of sSlh stieet and 

 Third avenue. He says trade is very good and 

 exceeds his most sanguine expectations. I am 

 sure the whole class join me in wishing him 

 every possible success. 



Our friend " Tanny," after rusticating in 

 Clinton Corners, N. Y., has purchased the store 

 of Mr. Weiss, io6th street and Madison avenue. 

 He looks supremely happy now, and why 

 shouldn't he? We can only repeat the good 

 wishes applied to Brother Freeze. 



Lester Carde, he with the undiagnosable 

 brogue, is with Disosway & Odell, Lawrence, 

 L. I. 



Emil Bohata is managing the store of Mr. 

 Schweuzner, First avenue and 72nd street. He 

 now wears glasses, and looks like the Gute 

 Deutsche Apotheker, that he is. 



One of our boys who prides himself on his 

 affability and happy faculty of satisfying cus- 

 tomers, was flabbergasted the other morning. 

 A lady walked in, and said, "I suppose you 

 can find anything in the Directory, for me, that 

 I want?" 



"Certainly," said our amiable friend, walk- 

 ing over twenty-two feet of store to reach the 

 book, 



"Well, find out where they keep the relic of 

 St. Ann, and what hour I can see it." Tableau 

 with slow curtain. 



I CALLED on Hoburg the other day and found 

 him looking well, despite the high life at the 

 Branch. He whispered something about driving 

 a fast horse, when someone suggested he must 

 have been asleep, and it was a nightmare. 

 Eugene F. Lohr. 



Before giving a report either of a microbic 

 or chemical nature upon samples of water, 

 make strict investigations as to the sources of 

 supply and all its surroundings. 



'94 NOTES. 



But for the postponement of weekly cycle 

 runs, and the usual exodus to the country, the 

 hot August days have passed into history as 

 quite dull. In fact, so dull that many delin- 

 quent subscribers have failed to grasp the 

 "idea " during the month. 



Louis Marcus has attained the goal of the as- 

 pirations of many. Last month he purchased 

 Murphy's Pharmacy on Third avenue, this city. 



Dr. J. Henry Wurthmann is spending the 

 summer months with Burmeister, T43d street 

 and Willis avenue. 



