PREFACE TO FIRST EDITION 



This LABORATORY GUIDE is intended for the use of 

 students in their first course in universities and colleges, 

 or other institutions doing work of similar grade. It is 

 not a teacher's manual, and therefore does not include 

 information as to laboratory equipment, the purchase and 

 care of apparatus and materials, nor references to the 

 literature. The author believes that botanical instruc- 

 tion in America has now reached a stage where such 

 directions to university instructors are no longer necessary 

 nor appropriate. 



As to the most desirable kind of laboratory directions 

 there is .a wide diversity of opinion among teachers of ex- 

 perience. This GUIDE has been prepared in harmony 

 with the theory that the beginning student needs to learn, 

 in his first laboratory course, not merely botanical facts, 

 but how to observe and how to record his observations. 

 It is believed that rather full directions, such as are given 

 in the following pages, will accomplish this result. In 

 advanced courses the student should, of course, be ex- 

 pected to work with increasing independence, both in 

 his thinking and his handling of apparatus and material. 

 The GUIDE, substantially as here offered, has been used 

 with a number of large beginning classes. 



