a 
thes) 
a 
. 
4 By this fortun 
time. ‘the g 
4 Petclature g 
eS uestion, less than mt 
Band hear , was considered at the Rochester m 
alent ESS aN hike ae Se a ye 
DNS Tercera be cree 
Editorial. 317 
ind was therefore degraded from an international to a local congress, 
the Madison gathering bids fair to result even more disastrously, for 
one correspondent declares that it is “likely to be less than national, 
even and altogether provincial-American.” The Genoa congress has 
uso been assailed as lacking authority to act, because its members 
were not truly representative; “er hai sich also Geselzgebung ange- 
set.’ The Madison Congress lays itself open to the same criticism. 
The opinion is also held that it is “outrageous to announce a program 
from which all original research is excluded,” from which it may be 
inferred that any limitation of subjects whatever would find objec- 
tors. 
| THE space at command does not permit a discussion of what an 
ideal congress might be, or even what the gathering at Madison might 
have been under other conditions and management; and all that can 
beattempted is to give a brief statement of what the Madison con- 
a reasonably be expected to accomplish under existing circum- 
epee a receiving, hearing and publishing papers, and will con- 
privi an honor to accord visiting scientists from abroad the same 
these sey Saale by their own members. The visitor will find in 
audiences most appreciative and responsive listeners. 
Pipers of ane circumstance the ccngress is enabled to exclude 
taiformity of as well as others which do not bear directly upon 
Sbserved than ; ape that all interests will thus be even better 
iS arra Ould be done by any other method. : ; 
sgement also removes a most formidable difficulty as to 
€noa congress discussed but one small phase of the no- 
d but a 
_ Yet it is desirable that the subjects con- 
pr OSS€SS Variety, as there are many botanists who “don’t 
Y with hay of being dosed with ‘nomenclature’.” To get var- 
real se} “¢ time and yet accomplish important results requires — 
_- €ction of topics, 
z 
be sey ee WEsTions j 
: ore 
ftom 
3~Voy 
og ‘S In various departments, many more than can 
» considered by a single congress, which demand at- 
a * ba Ky 
ll those interested in the advancement of the respective 
XVIII_No. 8. 
