18 GEOEGE LAWSON ON THE 



As regards the remarkably multifarious, yet correlative, processes of reproduction iu 

 the vegetable kingdom, their phenomena have been steadily under investigation, vfith 

 constantly increasing improvement of apparatus and appliances, for half a century, and 

 the interest and wealth of results only increase with the years. 



Investigation of the subjects to which I have thus briefly alluded can be undertaken, 

 with reasonable prospect of success, only by those who have enjoyed preliminary training 

 in the more recent modes of investigation, and in the use of the varied forms of apparatus 

 that have been designed to enable observations and experiments to be made with the 

 nearest possible approach to precision. Fortunately, the efforts of our higher educational 

 institutions, not only the imiversities and professional schools, but high schools and 

 academies, and also some of our agricultural establishments, colleges and experimental 

 stations, are now being put forth, with fair show of success, to meet the wants of botanical 

 students. Where even a preliminary training only in manipulation is obtained, zeal, 

 energy and perseverance may do the rest. 



From what has been stated, it will be obvious that efforts to extend our knowledge 

 in the departments enumerated will depend to a very large extent upon the practical 

 laboratory teaching at the universities and other public institutions throughout the sev- 

 eral provinces. Where this is provided researches will be undertaken by special and gra- 

 duate students. This kind of university work is the crowning fruit of his teaching that 

 rewards a professor's labours. Every effort should be made to encourage such students to 

 continue their work after leaving college, otherwise the labour spent in college, while of 

 educational value to the individual, may be lost so far as the interests of science are con- 

 cerned. This remark may not be thought entirely out of place when I mention that a 

 friend told me within the last few days that on a recent revisit to Germany, Dr. Stras- 

 burger, the well-known vegetable physiologist, iu whose laboratory he had worked in 

 former years, expressed, not his delight only, but his surprise, that his American pupil 

 had really continued to go on with his microscopical work after returning to his American 

 home. 



What I have said in regard to research in the minute anatomy and physiology of 

 plants generally will apply, to a large extent, to an allied department of a still more special 

 character, viz., fossil botany, which, through the indefatigable labours and admirable 

 researches extending over so many years of Sir William Dawson and latterly of Dr. 

 Penhallow, has been so prominent in the publications of the Royal Society of Canada as 

 to command attention to our publication wherever the subject is studied, and attention to 

 the subject wherever our publication reaches. 



After receiving proper training in methods of observation and in the mechanical pro- 

 cesses of preparing specimens, the physiological and the palteontological botanists may 

 continue to pursue their work at home almost single-handed. It is not so with the system- 

 atic or species botanist. He is continually in need of the assistance of others in multi- 

 farious ways, aud.whether monographing a family, investigating the relations of a puzzling 

 species, or tabulating facts for a speculation in geographical botany, he must have con- 

 stant recourse to the observations, collections, libraries and advice of others. 



While, then, the increased facilities that are being provided at our universities, or some 

 of them, for the pursuit of the lines of research embraced under the still expressive terms 

 anatomy and physiology of plants, may be expected to lead to advancement hitherto 



