366 SEARS 



obligations, for he is involved in a human relationship with opportunity to 

 influence the culture of which he is a part. 



So far as teaching is concerned, the situation improves steadily. Every 

 shift of emphasis, from the original taxonomy through evolutionary mor- 

 phology, genetics, physiology, and ecology, tends to leave its residue al- 

 though creating problems for skillful synthesis. Perhaps least adequately 

 handled at present is ecology, often introduced as an appendage rather than 

 as a vivifying and unifying means of perspective. Perhaps the very disad- 

 vantage which botany suffers in competition with other sciences whose relation 

 to our present economy seems more obvious may in the end be a help rather 

 than a handicap. Arts (of which teaching is one of the greatest) thrive best 

 when struggling against limitations. 



And as a citizen, the botanist can serve well without engaging in the 

 uncongenial and distracting role of evangelism. Most communities drift 

 into resource problems simply because no one really knows what is going 

 on. This applies to the flood problem in New England, pasture and woodlot 

 deterioration in the Midwest, erosion, siltation, and salinity increase in New 

 Mexico, and countless other situations, including land misuse due to the 

 current spread of urbanization. 



It is here that the botanist, in his traditional role as naturalist and student 

 of process, can make himself indispensable. Trained to observe the landscape, 

 he need not shout his findings from the housetop. Ordinary conversation with 

 his fellow citizens, and demonstration when it seems necessary, are remark- 

 ably effective. All that is necessary is to respect an old rule, "Never under- 

 estimate the other man's intelligence, nor overestimate his information." 



LITERATURE CITED 



A.A.A.S. Summarized Proceedings, 21st and 39th meetings. Bot. Soc. Am. Publ. Nos. 



6, 15, 17, 32, 38, 76, 79. 

 Bessey, C. E. 1897. Phylogeny and taxonomy of angiosperms. Bot. Gaz. 24:145-178. 

 Blackman, F. F. 1905. Optima and limiting factors. Ann. Bot. 19:281-295. 

 Hewes, L., and a. C. Schmiedling. 1956. Risk in the central Great Plains. Geogr. 



Rev. 46:375-387. 

 Sears, P. B. 1955. Science and policy. Science 121, No. 3148 (editorial). 



. 1956. Some notes on the ecology of ecologists. Sci. Monthly 83:22-27. 



Underwood, L. M. 1900. The last quarter: A reminiscence and an outlook. Science 



II, 12:161-170. 

 Weaver, J. E., and F. W. Albertson. 1956. Grasslands of the Great Plains, ix -f 



394. Johnsen Publ. Co. Lincoln, Nebr. 



