[IX ] 



PREFACE TO THE ENGLISH EDITION 



The movement which finds expression at the present moment 

 in the study of Oecological Botany amongst English students of 

 plant-life everywhere is the fruition of that earlier movement in 

 the direction of strict observational morphology and experimental 

 physiology which, in the latter half of last century, received its 

 greatest impetus from the lucid work of Sachs, illumined by that 

 of Darwin. Upon that earlier movement the edition of Sachs' 

 'Textbook of Botany,' published by the Clarendon Press in 1875, 

 had a profound influence. We believe that this edition of Schimper's 

 ' Plant-Geography' will have no less influence upon the movement 

 now in progress, and on that ground the volume is a most im- 

 portant addition to the series of standard botanical books issued 

 from Oxford. There is not, at the present time, any English 

 book dealing comprehensively with the subject of Oecological 

 Botany, and this edition therefore should be welcomed. Its 

 ' precise statement of pending questions ' should not only ' stimulate 

 research,' as the author hoped, but should also have a steadying 

 influence in a field of investigation which tempts to trifling. 



The untimely death of the author shortly after the translation 

 was begun has robbed the English edition of modifications and 

 improvements which he had intended to make, and the book 

 stands as it is in the German edition. 



A portrait of the author and a sympathetic sketch of his 

 life-work have been prefixed to the translation. 



The translator has had the active and valuable co-operation 

 of Mrs. Schlich in the preparation of his translation. The Index 

 is also the work of the translator. 



Upon critical points the opinion and advice of many colleagues 

 have been sought for and obtained, formally and informally ; to all 

 of them grateful thanks are tendered here. 



PERCY GROOM. 



ISAAC BAYLEY BALFOUR. 



