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NATURAL SCIENCE: 



A Monthly Review of Scientific Progress. 



No. 58. Vol. IX. DECEMBER 1896. 



NOTES AND COMMENTS. 



The Botanist of the Future. 



BOTANICAL OPPORTUNITY" is the title of Professor Wm. 

 Trelease's presidential address delivered to the Botanical Society 

 of America, and reported in full in the September number of the 

 Botanical Gazette. As the president addresses himself to " the large and 

 growing number of young botanists" who are seeking help and inspira- 

 tion, and as his remarks will apply almost equally well to other branches 

 of science, it may be worth while to call the attention of our readers to 

 some of them. The present is a period of transition. A generation 

 ago it was possible to accumulate wealth in commerce, and also to 

 devote much time to the study of nature. " To-day the man who is not 

 entirely a business man is better out of business, and, with a few 

 exceptions, the man who is not entirely a student is little better than 

 a dilettante in science." 



Professor Trelease is sanguine; he predicts that even in the next 

 decade, the money-makers will realise the tremendous advantages to 

 be gained by the encouragement of pure science, and adequately 

 endowed laboratories of research will " stand out quite alone, and 

 justify their existence without reference to other ends." Take heart, 

 Cinderella, the prince is coming ! 



The subject is considered under two heads, — the opportunity of 

 institutions and of individuals. That of the former lies in equipment 

 and the use thereof, and useful hints are given as to the proper limits 

 of library, herbarium, garden, and apparatus. The great expense 

 attached to a garden, and the impossibility of growing more than a 

 very limited number of plants, and also of imitating successfully 

 different cUmatic conditions, leads to the suggestion of establishing 

 branch gardens, where plants characteristic of special sets of conditions, 

 such as alpines, maritime plants, succulents, etc., can be studied in 

 their native environment. Moreover, the institution of the future 



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