453 



after some years the work will be finished. Families, 

 gênera and in many cases even species are easily recog- 

 nisable from the anatomical structure of their wood alone. 



The method used by us, though extremely simple and 

 well known in its principles. by aiming at a complète 

 sLirvey of the anatomical structures, an analysis leaving 

 no rest, becomes a very laborious task, taxing rather 

 heavily the psj'chical energy of the student. But a some- 

 what wide expérience in thèse matters has taught us that 

 only by the help of this method, results really worth while 

 are to be attained in anatomical investigations of every kind. 



Thus it is our conviction that the eyes of students in 

 anatomy must be gradually opened to this truth. But we 

 feel very well that this is not a resuit easily to be 

 obtained. It is a notion widely spread among botanists, 

 that every one having some gênerai anatomical knowledge 

 can, v^ithout making use of any spécial method or form, 

 construct vt^ith great facility a good and useful description 

 of anatomical structure. Literature more and less récent 

 abounds with proofs of the truth of vvhat has been said 

 hère. Descriptions are to be found everywhere, unripe, 

 incomplète, abounding in répétitions and omissions, referring 

 to many things with which the reader is not in the least 

 concerned, unsteady and supported by lots of necessary 

 and unnecessary drawings. ') 



We cannot see however that up to this date the 

 example we try to give has procured us many followers. 

 Nevertheless we want them because there are most 

 important problems, only to be solved by the coopération 

 of many botanists using this samc Linnean method of 

 micrography. 



1) Al pli. De C a n d 1 1 c. La Phytograpliic végétale. 



