172 



The Canadian Field-Naturalist 



[Vol. XXXVI 



tell, but I have not time at present to do more 

 than mention them. 



Geological Inter-Relationships 



I mentioned Burnaby Lake excursion a moment 

 ago. Those of you who were present at that 

 outing may remember how intimately the flora 

 of the district is connected with its Geology. 

 Prof. Rigg of the Department of Botany, Univer- 

 sity of Washington, has for a number of years 

 been studying the composition of bogs in the 

 United States and Alaska. He collects samples 

 of peat or muck from various depths and sends 

 them to a geological friend in California to have 

 his report on the plants which formed the bog. 

 This summer he visited Vancouver and I had 

 pleasure in showing him over the bog at Burnaby, 

 from which he secured a number of samples. He 

 declared it one of the most interesting bogs he had 

 seen, and was delighted to see such a beautiful 

 illustration of plant successions as we see along 

 the path of the edge of the lake. 



With special apparatus which he brought up 

 with him, we sounded the bog at various points 

 and found that the vegetation extended to a depth 

 of about 21 feet; between 21 and 22 feet we found 

 blue clay. At the time of our visit there was 

 only about an inch of water at the end of the 

 floating path near the lake margin, but our 

 soundings showed that under this was 14 feet of 

 liquid mud, and it was not till we reached a depth 

 of 16 feet that we could get mud firm enough to 

 obtain a sample. 



From a study of the flora we know that near 

 Burnaby Lake is one of the oldest bogs in our 

 locality, and similarly we know that the bog on 

 Lulu Island is comparatively recent. From a 

 study of the geology of those districts the geologist 

 arrives at the same conclusion. The inter-rela- 

 tionship of Botany and Geology is so important 

 that one of our members, Prof. M. Y. Williams, 

 has charge of the branch of Geology known as 

 Palaeontology, which is devoted to the study of 

 the prehistoric plants and animals as recorded in 

 fossils from all parts of the world. 



We are indebted to geologists for our knowledge 

 that in the past ages many plants and animals 

 existed which are now extinct, and from the 

 enormous amount of material collected by these 

 scientists we have a very large and important 

 branch of Botany— Palaeontological Botany— which 



deals only with the examination and classification 

 of the fossil remains of the early forms of vegeta- 

 tion; and the work of palaeontological botanists 

 has had a very important bearing on our present 

 system of classifying our modern plants. I may 

 say that the main groups of our natural system of 

 classification are based on what we believe to be 

 the approximate order of creation. The Creator 

 has written the record of his work on tables of 

 stone, and it is for us to exercise our God-given 

 intellect in an endeavour to read and interpret 

 correctly the story of creation which He is gra- 

 dually revealing. Truly we can find "Sermons in 

 stones, books in the running brooks, and good in 

 everything." 



Anthropological Inter-Relationships 



Before concluding I should like to draw atten- 

 tion to the importance of Botany in studying the 

 Natural History of Man. Ever since his first 

 appearance in history, man has been dependent 

 on plants for his existence and all his comforts. 

 In the garden of Eden, apple trees and fig trees 

 furnished his food and clothing, and though in 

 modern times our needs in this direction are not 

 so easily satisfied, we are just as dependent on 

 plants as Adam is reputed to have been. 



The study of the uses of plants by primitive 

 races and native tribes has given rise to a com- 

 paratively new branch of Botany known as Ethno- 

 botany, which deals with the plants used for food 

 or medicine, fibres, dyes, woods, etc., used in the 

 making of apparel or implements of various kinds. 



From the crude beginnings of our ancestors 

 came our modern Economic Botany which deals 

 with our botanical resources in furnishing the 

 many requirements for textile and other industries. 

 We are liable to forget our dependence on plants 

 for rubber tires and electrical insulation; gums, 

 resins, oils, and alcohol for the manufacture of 

 paints and varnishes; dyes and disinfectants, 

 fabrics and hides; for without the green blade we 

 should have neither wool, nor silk, nor footwear. 



If my address has proved dry and uninteresting 

 because the main part of my subject is Botany, 

 it is my fault. I find it a fascinating subject 

 after one has learned the botanical alphabet, 

 and I enjoy every opportunity I get of helping 

 others to share the fascination I find in its study. 

 If I have failed on this occasion, I promise I will 

 never address you on Botany again. Next time, 

 if there is a next time, I shall call it Phytology. 



