﻿32 
  Gleasox: 
  Some 
  applications 
  of 
  the 
  quadrat 
  method 
  

  

  w 
  

  

  This 
  method, 
  while 
  doubtless 
  better 
  than 
  the 
  original 
  one, 
  is 
  

  

  still 
  deficient 
  in 
  allowing 
  equal 
  weight 
  to 
  such 
  small 
  slender 
  plants 
  

  

  as 
  Erigeron 
  canadensis 
  and 
  large 
  bushy 
  ones 
  as 
  Gaylussacia 
  

  

  haccaia. 
  If 
  each 
  plant 
  could 
  be 
  further 
  weighted 
  by 
  a 
  multiplier 
  

  

  expressive 
  of 
  its 
  size, 
  a 
  better 
  index 
  would 
  doubtless 
  be 
  attained- 
  

  

  In 
  this 
  particular 
  case, 
  for 
  example, 
  each 
  plant 
  of 
  the 
  latter 
  species 
  

  

  occupies 
  probably 
  400 
  times 
  as 
  much 
  ground 
  space 
  as 
  the 
  former* 
  

  

  So 
  far 
  no 
  serious 
  attempt 
  has 
  been 
  made 
  to 
  follow 
  out 
  this 
  sug- 
  

   gestion. 
  

  

  means 
  

  

  to 
  a 
  person 
  who 
  has 
  not 
  already 
  experienced 
  its 
  meaning 
  by 
  actual 
  

   field 
  work. 
  But 
  to 
  such 
  persons 
  it 
  does 
  present 
  at 
  once 
  an 
  idea 
  of 
  

   the 
  relative 
  abundance 
  of 
  that 
  particular 
  species, 
  and 
  an 
  idea 
  

   much 
  more 
  accurate 
  than 
  any 
  such 
  general 
  expression 
  as 
  common^ 
  

  

  \p 
  

  

  method 
  

  

  into 
  their 
  scientific 
  vocabulary 
  and 
  actually 
  use 
  it 
  in 
  their 
  con- 
  

   versation, 
  almost 
  as 
  freely 
  as 
  they 
  refer 
  to 
  degrees 
  of 
  temperature. 
  

   The 
  writer 
  has 
  heard 
  a 
  student, 
  describing 
  the 
  liixuriant 
  growth 
  of 
  

   Epilohium 
  angiistifolium 
  follow^ing 
  a 
  recent 
  fire, 
  state 
  that 
  it 
  must 
  

   have 
  had 
  "a 
  frequency 
  index 
  at 
  least 
  90/' 
  instead 
  of 
  resorting 
  to 
  

  

  great 
  

  

  Habenari 
  

  

  all 
  through 
  the 
  woods: 
  FI 
  probably 
  5 
  or 
  10." 
  And 
  if 
  such 
  a 
  

  

  student 
  

  

  in 
  some 
  remote 
  part 
  of 
  the 
  world, 
  in 
  which 
  the 
  frequency 
  indices 
  

   were 
  given, 
  he 
  would 
  at 
  once 
  have 
  a 
  relatively 
  clear 
  idea 
  of 
  the 
  

   actual 
  conditions. 
  

  

  Nevertheless, 
  the 
  quantitative 
  study 
  and 
  description 
  of 
  vege- 
  

  

  every 
  

  

  great 
  improvement. 
  

  

  New 
  York 
  Botanical 
  Garden 
  

  

  Literature 
  cited 
  

  

  Clements, 
  F. 
  E. 
  1904. 
  The 
  development 
  and 
  structure 
  of 
  vegetation. 
  

   Rep. 
  Bot. 
  Surv. 
  Nebraska 
  7. 
  

  

  1905. 
  Research 
  methods 
  in 
  ecology. 
  Lincoln. 
  

  

  890. 
  Handbuch 
  der 
  Pflanzengeographie. 
  Stuttgart. 
  

  

  Drude 
  

  

  Femald, 
  M. 
  L. 
  1919. 
  Lithological 
  factors 
  limiting 
  the 
  ranges 
  of 
  

  

  Pinus 
  Banksiana 
  and 
  Thuja 
  occidentalis. 
  

  

  r 
  

  

  