18 BOTANICAL GAZETTE. [ January, 
edge. And if he rush into print before having studied the He 
the subject, he is apt to bring discredit upon the whole number of ¥ 
fellow botanists. Happily (or unhappily?) American botanists are no 
the only ones who are guilty of this indiscretion, but are the more con- 
We have frequently to complain of our German friends for neglecting, 
English writings. But they neglect a small portion of botanical — : 
ture. Lf we neglect German and French and Italian we si mage e 
weightier matters of the law,” and, quoting English writings only, “ tithe 
mint and anise and cummin.” . 
Ir HAS OccURRED to the writer that there has been a good deal of — 
needless decrying of botanical work when compared with that of — 
gists. The latter are ready enough to claim, and botanists are too ready 
fair exa 
OPEN LETTERS. 
Vitality of seeds. : 
In addition to the observation on this subject in ‘Vol. XII, 
following, which I recently gave in the Fl.rida F 
y th 
aq er @ 
ma. interest: In summer o 5, a quantity of 
taken from two feet below the surface in a mursh, and covere 
a 
germinated, Pilea pumila, 
a 
