Botanical G?&ette. 



Vol. V. APRIL, 1880. No. 4. 



Editorial. — Now that the season for collection and observation is 

 upon us, it seems appropriate to call the attention of botanists to the 

 importance of systematic and recorded work. Many points of inter- 

 est in systematic botany are still waiting to be settled, while observa- 

 tions in the department of physiology have been but begun. Else- 

 where we have spoken of the great advantage of forming clubs for 

 the better prosecution of this work, where such a thing is practicable. 

 Of course some workers are necessarily isolated and must be carried 

 through these labors by a pure love for them. But whenever a few 

 can be brought together in a neighborhood and be induced to form a 

 B itanical Club or a Natural History Society, the interest that will cer 

 tainly be aroused and the enthusiasm with which observations and col- 

 lections will be made will be productive of large results. There is a 

 great deal of misdirected energy in botanical work, as well as in eve- 

 ry other department of science. A man will collect, observe, record 

 facts, spending much valuable time in getting together material that 

 has already been collected, or is not important enough to justify the 

 trouble. Magnifying small things is the great tendency in the ama- 

 teur, who directs all his enthusiasm towards noting little distinctions 

 and making them of such importance that he really cannot be made 

 to realize that it all amounts to nothing. How many trivial letters 

 from such misguided observers are sent annually to our leading botan- 

 ists it would be hard to say. The worst of it is that these botanists 

 are compelled to submit to such impositions in the hope of gleaning 

 now and then a few grains of wheat from all this chaff. Now it is the 

 tendency of botanical clubs to check such indiscriminate work. 

 While through them the enthusiasm is greater, and interest in botany 

 is rapidly disseminated, work can be better directed and made really 

 valuable. Clubs can put themselves in communication with the best 

 botanists, can become informed of the work that has already been 

 done, and that is still waiting to be done. Members adding to- 

 gether their information will be surprised now they can act as checks 

 upon each other. Persons desiring to form a club, but not having 

 experience sufficient to know tTie best methods, have only to send to 

 the Torrey Club of New York for a copy of the constitution and by- 

 laws. Then when a club is formed, and the work begun, care should 

 be taken not to be so wrapped up in self as not to let any one outside 

 know what is being done. It has always seemed as if it should be 

 one of the important duties of a club to publish what is worth pub- 

 lishing of its work. The simplest and most appropriate way for this 

 to be done is for the secretaries of all botanical clubs to make it a part 

 of their duties to send a synopsis of the proceedings of each meeting 

 to the editor of the Torrey BuUctin or the editor of the Botanical 



