Apbil 30, 1909] 



SCIENCE 



685 



obscure problems in animal pathology, re- 

 cent progress in our knowledge of the laws 

 of hybridization and inheritance, and a 

 dawning recognition of the place which 

 paleobotany properly occupies — all indicate 

 not only that the subject of botany is rap- 

 idly gaining its rightful position, but that 

 zoologists are becoming more and more de- 

 pendent upon a knowledge of plants for a 

 clear and rational explanation of many 

 phenomena of animal life. I do not desire 

 to leave the impression that zoologists as a 

 whole are given to cultivating the erroneous 

 ideas I have endeavored to indicate, be- 

 cause, as a matter of fact, there are many 

 of our leading animal biologists who cheer- 

 fully and freely recognize the great and 

 important position of botany as a channel 

 through which some of the most important 

 laws of life receive their best exposition. 

 But that there is certainly need of reform 

 with respect to the general attitude of both 

 our educational bodies and the general pub- 

 lic can not be questioned, and that this 

 society should lend its influence in this 

 direction I conceive to be among its most 

 important functions. 



The present tendency in science, received 

 as a legitimate inheritance from the great 

 upheaval of the latter part of the nine- 

 teenth century, is toward an undue special- 

 ization, and an undue haste to attain to the 

 positions occupied by the older men of the 

 professions. The introduction of the sys- 

 tem of unrestricted options so fashionable 

 a few years since, has led to efforts to spe- 

 cialize in the undergraduate course, a tend- 

 ency which still receives far too much en- 

 couragement on the part of those whose 

 experience and position should lead them 

 to advise otherwise. My attention is more 

 particularly directed to this with respect 

 to the biological sciences for which a thor- 

 ough grounding in chemistry, physics and 

 geology is not only indispensable, but be- 

 cause such fundamental knowledge becomes 



more essential with every fresh advance 

 that is made. The more deeply one spe- 

 cializes, the greater the need for that help 

 which comes from other fields of learning. 

 Plant physiology demands an accurate and 

 somewhat extensive knowledge of both 

 physics and chemistry. Pathology, to be 

 profitable, must be studied from the com- 

 parative point of view. Paleobotany de- 

 mands an extensive knowledge of geology. 

 What is true of the science of plant life is 

 more or less true of the sciences which deal 

 with life in any one of its numerous phases. 

 For the broad foundations in general sci- 

 ence thus required, our educational institu- 

 tions must provide opportunities for all- 

 round and thorough training, and the pres- 

 ent tendency to an early and undue special- 

 ization must yield, as it is already giving 

 way to, a more rational group system. 

 Above all, students must be brought to 

 realize that a patient apprenticeship 

 through which the successive steps are 

 taken with deliberation and on the basis of 

 thorough knowledge, is the only medium 

 through which to secure the highest reward 

 and the greatest satisfaction when the goal 

 is finally attained. 



Specialization, however, is not confined 

 to individuals, but extends to societies and 

 not only tends to lead them too far from 

 the central idea of coordination, but in- 

 volves an undue multiplication of organiza- 

 tions engaged in essentially the same lines 

 of work. Such duplication is as unneces- 

 sary as it is deplorable. 



Specialization is recognized as a necessity 

 of modern scientific development, but its 

 unrestricted exercise involves lack of coor- 

 dination, narrowness of view, unsymmet- 

 rical development. While we fully agree 

 with Dr. Farlow, as expressed in his presi- 

 dential address before the American Asso- 

 ciation, that the object of scientific organ- 

 ization is to encourage diversity of work, 

 he would undoubtedly agree with our point 



