Celebration of the Fiftieth Anniversary. Ixxix 



Academy of Science. At the time when the St. Louis 

 Academy was founded, as was indicated by a previous speaker, 

 the study of science as we understand it to-day was compara- 

 tively a new thing to the general public. It was through the 

 activity of the men who organized such societies as the Acad- 

 emy, that the various lines of scientific research were stimu- 

 lated; it was a result of their encouragement, and along the 

 lines laid out by them, that scientitic thought developed to 

 the high plane which we find it in to-day. We owe much to 

 the early encouragement of the busy men of affairs who 

 yet found time to get together for the promotion of science ; 

 such men, for instance as the one whom we are all proud to 

 acknowledge as botanists, the first President of this Society, 

 Dr. Engelmann, who, although a busy physician, yet found 

 time and energy to investigate, not one but many branches of 

 the science of botany. The impetus which these men gave 

 to the development of science in its various branches should 

 be thought of, it seems to me, by us, at the present moment. 

 Out of those early efforts of theirs has grown a widespread 

 interest in natural phenomena, represented to-day by groups 

 of specialists in the various fields of science. 



There are more things which I would like to dwell upon but 

 at this late hour I feel that by expressing in a most hearty 

 manner the felicitations of the two botanical societies, my 

 purpose will have been fulfilled. 



The Toastmaster : — 



We have representation from the National Academy of 

 Sciences, the American Philosophical Society of Philadelphia, 

 which is the oldest society in this country, the Boston Society 

 of Natural History, the American Academy of Arts and 

 Sciences, the International Academy of Botanical Geography, 

 the Society of Physical and Natural Science of Bordeaux, 

 France, and the Missouri Botanical Garden. All these are to 

 be represented by Dr. William Trelease. 



Mr. Trelease : — 



Mr. President, Mr. Toastmaster, Ladies and Gentlemen : — 

 The National Academy of Sciences and the American Philo- 



