APPLIED SYSTEMATICS — SCHMITT 337 



The lore of ancient, primitive, and often unlettered peoples contains 

 much of interest and value to us if only we can find the scientific 

 names for the animals and plants of which they had learned the 

 properties, good or bad, useful or harmful, by long and often sad 

 experience. Curare is one of these. 



Botanists these days work with maintenance crews in keeping clear 

 fire lanes and electric-power and telegraph rights-of-way for the 

 purpose of identifying the plants, so that the appropriate herbicides 

 may be used to kill off unwanted vegetation. The result desired and 

 achieved is a dense growth of low shrubbery that will so occupy and 

 shade the ground that all other growth will be inhibited, yet itself 

 will not hinder or impede the passage of inspection, maintenance, 

 and repair crews. Manual as well as mechanical clearing of ways, 

 uphill and downdale, in these days of high labor and operating costs, 

 is an expensive proposition, which, at best, only temporarily controls 

 the situation. Spraying, too, can be a costly affair, as well as inef- 

 fective, if indiscriminate, without regard to the kinds of plants 

 involved. 



Again we are moved to remark that wherever one turns, a thorough 

 knowledge of the kinds of organisms, whether of plant or animal 

 origin, sooner or later proves of real value and often of considerable 

 economic importance in the most unexpected ways and places. And 

 finally, may we repeat wliat George Gaylord Simpson once so well 

 stated : "It is impossible to speak of the objects of any study, or to 

 think lucidly about them, unless they are named. It is impossible to 

 examine their relationships to each other and their places among the 

 vast, incredibly complex phenomena of the universe, in short to treat 

 them scientifically, without putting them into some sort of fonnal 

 arrangement. . . . Taxonomy is at the same time the most elementary 

 and the most inclusive part of zoology, most elementary because ani- 

 mals cannot be discussed or treated in a scientific way until some 

 taxonomy has been achieved, and most inclusive because taxonomy in 

 its various guises and branches eventually gathers together, utilizes, 

 summarizes, and implements everything that is known about 

 animals. . . ." 



