1894.] TRANSACTIONS. 15 



more of a botanist than the old-time collector of museum 

 specimens. He looks into the flowers and watches their growth, 

 endeavors to understand how they are made and studies how 

 they behave ; and those particular branches of study indicate a 

 botanist to-day, far more correctl}^ than the mere collector of 

 plants once did. The geography of plants, or the knowledge 

 of how they are distributed over the surface of the earth, has 

 also come to be a very fascinating department of botany, and 

 the investigation of their ' histories ' in relation to altitude, 

 climate, and even the relations of plants to insects, have come 

 to be quite as much matters of botanical interest as the older 

 studies which relate simply to the classification of plants ! " 



In a sketch of the proceedings of the British Association for 

 the Advancement of Science, at its recent session. Professor 

 Bay ley Balfour, treating of Forestry, 



" Went on to show that the practical aspects of Botany were 

 not sufficiently considered now-a-days, that whilst chemistry 

 and physics were turned to utilitarian purposes, botanists con- 

 fined their attention too exclusively to matters of pure Science. 



Botany cannot thrive in a purely introspective atmosphere. It 

 can only live by keeping in touch with the national life, and 

 the path by which it may at the present time best do this is 

 oflered by forestry." 



To which, with its usual catholicity of thought and utterance, 

 the Chronicle^ adds, " If to forestry be added gardening, market- 

 gardening, and agriculture, including vegetable pathology, we 

 fully concur with the Professor." 



Cannot our Hall be made to serve awhile longer 9 



In the early summer a note, whereof a copy is subjoined, 

 was received by your Secretary : 



"Worcester, Mass., May 29, 1894. 

 '•''Mr. Edward Winslow Lincoln^ Secretary, 



Worcester County Horticultural Society , 

 " Dear Sir : 



" The Committee of Arrangements having in charo;e the 

 New England Fair of 1894, extend a cordial invitation to the 

 Worcester County Horticultural Society to unite with them in 



^Gardener's Chronicle, London. 



