General Introduction 17 



in France had attempted to bring about advances in a 

 truly natural direction, they had not been very successful 

 — indeed Lindley's system was rather retrograde than 

 otherwise. A certain progress, springing from Hofmeister's 

 researches, had been made with the Cryptogams, but the 

 details of their life-history in many important groups were 

 altogether lacking, and hence no data for accurate classifi- 

 cation were forthcoming. The terminology employed was 

 confused and often inexact, making correct ideas on 

 homology difficult, if not impossible. The last two consider- 

 ations bore with especial weight upon the Algae and the 

 Fungi. 



In the year i860 we see that botanical research was 

 entering upon a period of renewed activity. With the 

 coming of the new epoch brought in by the appearance 

 of Darwin's work, investigation ceased to be empirical, 

 and became dominated by a new and stimulating idea. 

 The days of almost purposeless collection of new facts 

 were over, and definite problems presented themselves in 

 great profusion, developing and illustrating the theory 

 that Darwin had put forward. The definite directing of 

 the new series of researches towards special problems led 

 with certainty to the widening of ideas and to the spreading 

 of the paths of investigation in almost every direction. 



Just at this crisis there appeared upon the scene another 

 worker to whom may be attributed in a remarkable degree 

 the immense progress of investigation which marked the 

 years 1860-1900. This was Julius von Sachs, who may 

 almost be spoken of as the father of modern botany. 

 Great as was the part he played in the researches of his 

 time, his influence extended far beyond the limits of his 

 own laboratory. He co-ordinated the work of those who 

 had preceded him with that of his contemporaries, and by 

 his lucid writings he was largely instrumental in directing 

 the stream of thought. He illuminated all departments of 



GREEN g 



