AN OUTLINE OF PHYTOBIOLOGY. 9" 



Yiewed in tliis light, Phjtobiology certaiuly docs 

 seem the most ditticult of the departments of botany. 

 So iu its liigher branches it is, but hke all other branches 

 of science, it has three grades : first, the observation of 

 facts ; secondly, the correct interpretation of the immt'- 

 diate meaning of these ; third, the composition of know- 

 ledge thus gained into the principles of a science. It is 

 in the first and second, but especially in the first, that 

 the local botanist can render invaluable service. The 

 first great need of Phytobiology, that upon which its 

 progress depends, is accurate observation of fact in the 

 field : for it must be remembered that it deals with 

 living things in action and the laboratory or herbarium 

 can help but little. Field study of how plants behave 

 in relationship to the external world is the great aim 

 Avhicli the local botanist should keep clearl}^ before 

 him. 



. Limiting ourselves now to the subject from the point 

 of view of the local botanists, we have to consider first 

 of all certain general principles. 



The first pre-requisite for active work in Phytobiology 

 is an acquaintance with what has already been learned, 

 and some idea of the problems to be studied. The best 

 single work upon the subject is unquestionably the 

 admirable " Pflanzenleben,"=^ by Kerner von Marilaun, of 

 course in German, as are the other very important works 

 by Goel>el, Schimper, Warming, Stahl, Volkens, Kihlman, 

 and others. Unfortunately there is no such work in 

 Englislj, and it is to supply in some measure this w^ant for 

 Acadian students, that a series of articles upon the sub- 

 ject will follow the present one. 



* While this paper is in press I learn that Kerner's work is to be translated into 

 English under the title " Natural History of Plants. 



