is a branch of biological work known as ecology, a study 

 of the relation and adaptation of single plants or whole 

 communities of plants to their environment and to each 

 other. It is the application in a broad and more philo- 

 sophical way of the methods of the physiological anatom- 

 ist coupled with those of the taxonomist ; but, in addition, 

 the work of the botanist touches the field of the physi- 

 ographer and geologist. Ecology is the endeavor to 

 uncover the plan of nature as it governs the relations of 

 the different plant forms in a given area, to understand 

 the why and the wherefore of the association of very 

 different forms in one locality. The keynote of the philo- 

 sophical development of this topic rests on the conception 

 of the constant struggle of individuals or groups of indi- 

 viduals to maintain themselves against other forms, which 

 leads to a balanced relation of the different species in a 

 given flora. Understanding this, we can see why if this 

 balance is disturbed the whole fabric of a plant community 

 may be destroyed and a flora swept away. We are also 

 able to understand how relatively slight climatic changes 

 may alter completely the character of a vegetation in a 

 given region, and thus to comprehend more readily the 

 changes which must have taken place in past ages. It also 

 shows us the effect of present changes, particularly in re- 

 gard to the destruction by man of the essential elements 

 of natural plant communities, notably one of the most 

 important of these, the forests. Its use lies in these 

 directions and the danger of its misuse lies in the direction 

 of drawing too positive conclusions from data which are 

 insufficient, and of accepting the results obtained as 

 necessarily final, a common error it is true in any line 

 of thought, but one to which the ecologist has especial 

 temptation. 



It is in the field of physiology more than anywhere 

 else, perhaps, that the worker must humble himself before 



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