BOTANICAL BIOLOGY.* 



By W. T. TniSELTON-DYEii, F. II. S. 



It is not so very long ago, that at English nniversities, at least, the 

 pursuit of botany was regarded rather as an elegant accomplishment 

 than as a serious occupation. This is the more remarkable, because at 

 every critical point in the history of botanical science, the names of our 

 countrymen will be found to occupy an honorable place in the field 

 of progress and discovery. In the seventeenth century, Hooke and 

 Grew laid the foundation of the cell-theory, while Millington, by dis- 

 covering the function of stamens, comj^leted the theory of the flower. 

 In the following century, Morisou first raised ferns from spores, Lind- 

 say detected the fern prothallus, Kay laid the foundations of a natural 

 classification. Hales discovered root-pressure, and Priestley the absorp- 

 tion of carbon dioxide and the evolution of oxygen by plants. In the 

 early part of the present one, we have Knight's discovery of the true 

 cause of geotropism, Daubeny's of the effect upon the processes of plant- 

 life of rays of light of different refrangibility, and finally, the first de- 

 scription of the cell-nucleus by R. Brown. I need not attempt to carry 

 the list through the last half century. I have singled out these discov- 

 eries as striking landmarks, the starting-points of important develop- 

 ments of the subject. It is enough for my purpose to show that we 

 have always had an important school of botany in England, which has 

 contributed at least its share to the general development of the science. 



I think at the moment however, we have little cause for anxiety. 

 The academic chairs throughout the three kingdoms are filled for the 

 most part with young, enthusiastic, and well-trained men. Botany is 

 everywhere conceded its due position as the twin branch with zoology — 

 of biological science. We owe to the enlightened administration of 

 the Oxford University Press the possession of a journal which allows 

 of the prompt and adequate publication of the results of laboratory 

 research. The excellent work which is being done in every part of the 

 botanical field has received the warm sympathy of our colleagues abroad. 

 I need only recall to your iu?col lection, as a striking evidence of this, 



* Presidential address before tlio Biological Section of the British Association, A. S., 

 at Bath, Scptcnibor, 18rtS. (Rcjiort of the Jlrilifh Asuociatioii, vol. LViii, j)}!. (WO-TOl). 



