192 BOTANICAL GAZETTE . farce 
a 
matter whether he claims the title of botanist or not. Or is it the 
coining of names only that should be restricted to botanists? Who 
is a botanist? Where shall the limit be drawn? Does knowledge 
of a certain number of plants entitle a man to this privilege? Or is 
publication of a certain number of pages on some botanical subject 
a sufficient qualification? If such a rule were accepted and applied, 
we should have to reject, for instance, the term “ecology,” because 
it was first introduced by Ernst HAECKEL, who never claimed the 
name of a botanist, although he knew more about the subject than 
most “botanists.” 
Enough has been said upon this matter. We should take up a 
conservative position in this question of nomenclature, but at the 
same time insist upon the adoption of a code announcing certain 
principles, the application of which will prevent such a plentiful 
harvest of confusion as we have now, and assist in bringing about a 
reform resulting in a nomenclature better adapted to the needs of 
scientific workers. ‘Prove all things; hold fast that which is good” 
is the very essence of such a code. 
To summarize the previous discussion: 
Clearness and conciseness are the main requisites for a system 
of terminology. 
Each technical term should have only one meaning. 
In case of doubtful terms consult the proposer of the name. If 
the conception it represents is not absolutely clear, the name has no 
status In nomenclature. 
If a term has been commonly used and understood in another 
sense than the original author proposed, it should be retained, but 
only in case there can be no doubt as to its interpretation. 
If a conception has already received a name and there is no obvious 
reason to discard that name, an author has no right to propose @ 
new term. 
A law of priority is practicable, we think, only so far as the prin- 
ciples laid down in the previous pages of this article will admit. 
A name, the conception of which has been materially changed 10 
the course of time, naturally has no standing. 
A technical term should be associated in our mind with the idea 
it represents. 
