FcTTT.K Botanist. 7 



8th Novemher, 18i)5. 



Tlio K('\-. William Andsox in the chaii'. 

 Ncn< Afemki-s.—Mv^ Srott-Elliot and :Miss M-Crackcn. 



COMMUNK'ATIONS, 



I.— T/ic JVork of the Future British Botanist. By Mr G. F. 

 Scott-Elliot. B.Sc, F.L.S. 



The work of the British botanist of to-day labours under 

 certain distinct disadvantages. There are so many books that lie 

 can very easily learn to name the commoner species, but he will 

 very soon find that all those plants which are within an easy walk 

 are discovered, and unless he turns to cryptogams, or attempts 

 very long and distant excursions, there is nothing new for him to 

 collect. Now there is a natural, perfectly legitimate, and most 

 praiseworthy desire in every scientific spirit, to discover something- 

 new to add to the store of human knowledge in his own particu- 

 lar department, and leave it the richer for his existence. In the 

 ]?ritish botany of to-day this can only be done in such genera as 

 Ilieracium, Rosa, liubus, and Salix, none of Avhich can ever bf> 

 thoroughly mastei'ed by one human being. In such genera it is 

 even possible in this country to discover (or, perhaps, more properl}-, 

 invent) new species, as, in fact, has been done in Dumfriesshire. 

 Such genera afford an infinite field for work. Bentham made some 

 seven species of Hieracium, for instance, while the ninth edition of 

 the London Catalogue contains 104, and this number may be in- 

 creased to 400 in future editions. But as specialists in these four 

 critical genera never agree, and only one can be suj^reme, there 

 are only four future British botanists w^ho can find an outlet for 

 their energies in this direction, and these four must be magnificent 

 pedestrians, with the whole of their time at their own disposal. 



Another field for the present British botanist is the recording 

 of plants and a county Flora. It is possible to make new records 

 anywhere (I have made a few myself), but to make a county Flora 

 involves an enormous expenditure of time and great walking- 

 power, even with a London Catalogue, which expands yearly, and 

 l)roduces new subjects to record. It is true there is still room for 

 local Floras — I do not think the present number exceeds 15 out of 

 the 100 and more counties for which they are requii'ed. ]\[r 



