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; April 14, 1908 kf 
EDITORIAL 
We very much regret that the “Compilations” have been 
crowded out of this issue. The reprinting of early, or other 
plant descriptions not easy of access, is a most important feature 
in botanical work, and we hope contributors may bear the fact 
in mind, and not let the editor contribute all of these articles. 
Another great boon would be the re-describing of imper- 
fectly described types. There are many such, and if people 
with the best interests of botany at heart would do a little work 
in this line, they might save the making of many synonyms. 
Some of Nuttall’s descriptions are unsatisfactory, that of 772- 
folium variegatum, for example. The types or typical speci- 
mens of nearly all of his species are in one or another of three 
great eastern herbaria, and we hope to have an article on the 
subject from some one who has access to these plants. Such 
work is really more important than the describing of new forms 
for it would often help us to better decide what is really new. 
But we have no fault to find with the “maker,” as some 
choose to put it, of new species. In the western part of our 
country especially there is much unexplored territory and many 
undescribed plants. These should be vigorously sought for and 
studied by field workers. One occasionally comes across a 
tirade about the recklessness of the “species maker” of the pres- 
ent day, coupled with a flat statement or an insinuation to the 
effect that the sole motive is the glorification of the “species 
maker” by the shortest possible route, but that in reality his 
work is not worth the space it occupies. 
Now we have realized for quite a while that with some 
people it depends not so much upon what is done, as upon who 
does it. Some people, and we hope they are few, can approve 
only of what they themselves do, while others can never find 
any virtue in the work of those who hold different views from 
their own or from the clique or faction to which they adhere. 
