Stnith : The Use of Maps in Botany. 173 



inch and half-inch scales are issued by the various firms of map 

 publishers, but as the main object of these is to serve as road- 

 maps, they do not show much detail. The Ordnance maps on 

 the one inch and larg-er scales show contour lines, altitudes, 

 and boundaries, as well as woods and uncultivated land, which 

 are useful guides in botanical work. A useful explanation of the 

 symbols used on these maps, with examples of the differen* 

 scales, is published in a pamphlet — the characteristic sheet — 

 which can be purchased (price 6d ). The maps may be obtained 

 from agents in the larger towns, and also from many of the post- 

 ofiices. The ' one-inch ' map is printed in four styles, but the 

 unshaded outline maps are the best for recording. 



Some consideration must be given in selecting a scale suit- 

 able for the records to be made. The quarter-inch maps will be 

 found too small for most purposes. The half-inch maps of 

 Bartholomew were used as the basis for the colours showing 

 vegetation in the published maps of botanical survey in York- 

 shire* and Scotland.! This scale is only suitable, however, for 

 showing general features of the vegetation, and in every instance 

 the actual field-work was done on Ordnance maps of a larger 

 scale. In publishing the results of botanical surveys of West- 

 morland (F. J. Lewis \) and Dublin District (G. H. Pethybridge 

 and R. L. Praeger j), the authors found that the inch scale was 

 necessary to record the observations made. 



An examination of these published papers will indicate how 

 much can be shown on maps of the scales mentioned. In 

 choosing a scale map for field-work, much depends on the kind 

 of records to be made. The work in progress in botany is 

 capable of expansion in many directions, but at present it may 

 be grouped into the recording of plant species and the recording 

 of plant associations. 



Recording of species. The topographical botany of H. C- 

 Watson has led many naturalists to follow up the work, and we 

 believe that maps will prove the best method of making records 

 of this kind. There is now in progress, under the guidance of 

 Professor Traill, a very systematic system of recording the 

 occurrence of species of plants in the north-east of Scotland. 

 Map tracings have been distributed to a large number of 



* Geographical Journal, April and Aug'ust, 1903. 



t Scottish Geographical Magazine, July and August, 1900, December, 

 1904, January, February, March, 1905. 



X Geographical Journal, March and September, 1904. 

 § Proc. Roy. Irish Academy, xxv., December, 1905. 



1906 June I. 



