Valdivia expedition to the Antarctic regions. 
160 BOTANICAL GAZETTE 
A. F. W. SCHIMPER. 
Brier mention has already been made of the death of this briliant 
botanist, but it is fitting to record here some of the most interesting 
features of his life. In view of his high rank as a botanist and his many — 
contributions to all phases of botanical activity, it seems incredible 
that he was but 45 at the time of his death. His father before him, 
Ph. Schimper, had made for himself an illustrious name in botanical 
work, no other of his time excelling him in his two favorite fields, bry 
dlogy and paleobotany. The subject of our sketch won his 
ia 1878 at Strassburg, where his father was professor of botany. 
Schimper’s first famous investigation was on starch and plastids, 
and he was the first to show that plastids are necessary for starch for 
mation. Another important contribution to knowledge was made 
when he showed that plastids do not arise spontaneously in th 
plasm, but that they always proceed from pre-existing plastids. 
years later Schimper published papers on the formation of alee 
oxalate in leaves and on the assimilation of mineral salts by g™ 
plants, calling attention to the manifold metabolic activities of 
and showing that chlorophyll has a part in the production of if 
could scarcely be narrow. But it cannot be doubted — 
cl latwely to his breadth of view. American authors hi 
complained that continental botanists do not give sufficie 
papers printed this side of the water, but no such compla 
rightly be made against Schimper. Perhaps his fellowship 
Hopkins in 1881, and his travels in Florida, the West I 
‘South America made him feel kindly toward Americans. Some 
later he spent considerable time at Buitenzorg, and his 
are among the most brilliant that have come from that: 
ical center. Only a short time before his death - ) 
In 1883 Schimper was called to the University at Bons, me 
_ Tose from a docentship to a professorship, and it was: from q 
“Most of his investigations were peliahed: In 1899 Q 
= the University at Basel, where he rem: until his 
. cnet o ager. gems will doubtless be rember 
