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NE\ 

 BOTANICAL 



THE ORGANIZATION OF THE INDIAN BOTA- 

 NICAL SOCIETY. 



There has long been the need for organization of the scattered 

 and isolated botanical interests of India. At the Nagpur meeting of 

 the Indian Science Congress in January, 1920, the Botany Section 

 decided to organize an Indian Botanical Society. A Committee con- 

 sisting of Prof. W. Burns, D.Sc, of the College of Agriculture, Poona ; 

 Prof. P. Briihl, Ph.D., of the University College of Science, Calcutta ; 

 Prof. Shiv Ram Kashyap, M.Sc, of the Government College, Lahore; 

 Eai Bahadur K. Rangachari, M.A., L.T., of the Agricultural College, 

 Coimbatore ; Prof. Borbal Sahni, D.Sc, then of Benares Hindu Univer- 

 sity, Benares ; and Prof. Winfield Dudgeon, Ph.D., of Ewing Christian 

 College, Allahabad, Chairman, was constituted to carry out the details 

 of organization. The membership o'f the Society has now (December, 

 14, 1920) reached 71, and includes men engaged in all branches of 

 botanical service from all parts of the country. 



When the membership had reached 40, an election was held by 

 correspondence, and the following officers were elected : — Dr. Winfield 

 Dudgeon, President ; Dr. W. Burns, Vice-President ; Prof. Shiv Ram 

 Kashyap, Secretary-Treasurer ; Dr. Borbal Sahni, Councillor for two 

 years and Eai Bahadur K. Rangachari, Councillor for one year. The 

 President and Vice-President will serve through 1921, when the 

 President will become a Councillor for two years ; the Secretary- 

 Treasurer is elected for a period of three years. The Officers and 

 Councillors will constitute an Executive Committee to transact the 

 business of the Society between annual meetings. 



The purposes of the Society are several, though it may take years 

 to realize some of them. The Society should promote a feeling of 

 fellowship among Botanists, and draw them together for mutual bene- 

 fit ; help to improve the quality and content of botanical instruction in 

 the various colleges and universities, provide Botanists an organized 

 means for dealing with other organizations ; and promote and encour- 

 age research in Botany, by advice and encouragement to beginners in 

 research, by organizing botanical trips and expeditions of various kinds ; 

 and perhaps finally by establishing one or more Biological Stations in 

 suitable locations. It should provide a central exchange for aiding 

 Botanists in securing teaching and other appointments, for ideas, 

 opinions, methods, and information generally, and for specimens, 

 slides, research material, etc. ; and finally, it should make more 

 available to members the scattered and insufficient botanical litera- 

 ture that reaches India. 



