3i6 Keport S.A.A. Advancement of Science. 



should be distributed over the whole range of the subject but, at 

 the same time, there is no reason why the student should not pay 

 particular attention to any branch which especially arouses his 

 interest. His reading at this stage should include a study of the 

 history of our subject. I do not think that he should be required 

 to go into this in too great detail, though he might be expected to 

 make himself well acquainted with the story of the advance of 

 knowledge in the branch which he has most closely studied. In the 

 present condition of our teaching organisation it is doubtful how 

 much of this programme for an advanced course can be satisfactorily 

 attempted. Such a course cannot be regarded as ccMnplete unless 

 it includes .special lectures and practical work on Fossil Plants, 

 Diseases of Plants, The uses of Plants, and other branches of 

 scientific interest. For the present however these are out of the 

 question. 



The scheme of instruction contained in this pa[)er is a modifica- 

 lion of that which is followed with a marked degree of success in 

 more than one of the leading botanical schools of Europe, and ex- 

 perience has proved that when such a skelet(jn is clothetl by an 

 inspired teacher it is calculated to develope the student, to train his 

 faculties, to give hira a sound knowledge of the subject as a whole 

 and at the same time to enable him to follow up a line of independent 

 research. 



Unfortunately, however, a teaching-course has usually to be 

 considered with reference to an impending examination. No alter- 

 native to the examination-system has been discovered and the teacher 

 has therefore to look beyond the true needs of his students to the 

 requirements of the syllainis. 



It will prol)ab]y be objected that the course I have here sketched 

 out fails in that in some respects it does not coincide with the syllabus 

 of the examination of the Cape University. I must at once admit 

 the objection. This however is not the place in which to discuss an 

 examination-syllabus. My object has rather been to sketch out what, 

 in my view, constitutes a rational course of instruction in Botanv on 

 the assumption that the training of the student rather than the require- 

 ments of an examination is the aim to be accomplished. 



