1889.] BOTANICAL GAZETTE. 3°5 



The station botanists at Washington. 



The establishment of the experiment stations under the 

 so-called " Hatch Act" has brought many botanists into lines 

 of work that may run parallel in some respects, and therefore 

 furnished the occasion for a union among these workers. 

 Several of the station botanists were in attendance at the A. 

 A. A. S. meeting at Toronto in August last, and 1 on€ t atter- 

 noon they found time to hold a meeting, with Dr. W. J. Beal 

 in the chair, in which several station matters were considered. 

 For example, the limitations for the several classes of station 

 workers were discussed, and more particularly the topic 

 -What is the botanist's work in the station.'' Hieie are 

 lines of work, as for instance the cross-fertilization ot plants, 

 that come quite naturally to either the skilled agriculturist, 

 horticulturist or botanist, and must be decided by the circum- 

 stances of each particular case. The character ot the stat on 

 bulletin was considered, and the opinion generally P^™~ 

 that it should be founded upon observations and experiments 

 made by the author, but should not exclude valuable matter 

 elsewhere to be obtained. It was the sentiment of the mew- 

 ing that collections should be made and exchanges encour 

 aged, especially of specimens of plants most frequently re- 

 ferred to by station botanists. It was considered ""portant 

 that the station workers should meet at least once each ) ear 

 t for conference, consultation, etc., and a committee was a£ 

 pointed to communicate with the director of the ofhee oi e. 

 periment stations upon this subject. „«—„»;•*-• . 



The following suggestions were sent by ^/f^f^' 



Sir: The undersigned have been appointed, at a ^meet- 

 ing of the botanists of the experiment st ations, *^™g" 

 to call your attention to the desirability of W"g"W<™" 



of the stations that they send to the coming annuaT meeting 

 of the association of colleges and experiments tation s r epre 

 sentatives of their working corps We ,fa he r wish to^g 



gest that, in our opinion, such a ^gat ei nng 



workers would result in great good ana \\ A 



might well defray all necessary expenses. May we not sug 



gest that you urge this matter upon -g^*^ ^^ , 



_ May 



J. liUKKILL, 



"Committee. 



