8 Opening Address. [Sess. 



year that Mr Brebner of Dundee, along with the President of 

 our Microscopic Section, Dr J. M. Macfarlane, and Mr P. 

 Neill Fraser, Treasurer of the Botanical Society, rediscovered 

 on Ben Heasgarnich, Carex ustulata Wahl., one of Don's long- 

 lost plants. It had been deleted from the list of the British 

 flora, as it appears in the second edition of ' Topograpliical 

 Botany.' But how came all this doubt regarding the great 

 botanist's work ? Such a question is easily answered. He lived 

 at a time when the methods of conducting scientific studies 

 were less accurate than they are now ; and when he went on 

 his long excursions, he did not think it of such importance as 

 we do at present to note localities with particular care. He 

 therefore appears to have made his collections from day to day 

 without keeping each day's work separate, with the result that 

 when he got home, and in arranging his specimens came across 

 some rare plant that was new to him, he sometimes could only 

 tell the name of the district which he had brought it from, but not 

 the exact spot at which it had been found. If he knew, as some 

 suppose, the exact places where such plants grew, it is at least 

 remarkable that he did not keep some record of these stations. 

 I have said sufficient about trying to do too much, so 

 let me now direct your thoughts for a moment to what I 

 may define as doing too little. It frequently happens that 

 field botanists quite forget what should be their aim in con- 

 ducting their researches. It is not merely to make collections 

 for their herbariums, or only to search for rare plants. If this 

 were all that had to be done, it would take away half the 

 charm of field work. No ; the botanist must note everything 

 botanical, and take time to do so too. I can never forget the 

 earnestness with which tlie late Eev. W. W. Newbould repeated- 

 ly enforced upon me the feeling that seemed to be the message 

 of his life to botanists, and a great topographical botanist he 

 was himself. He used to say, " Never mind rarities, and tell 

 all your botanical friends the same. Note aU plants, and the 

 conditions under which they grow, and you will be sure to 

 come across the rare ones." He also told me that in his long 

 experience he always found that those who made the greatest 

 discoveries, and were tlie best field botanists, were those that 

 did not forget to look for common plants. I feel sure the 

 Eev. Mr Newbould was right, and would advise every young 



