16 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XL VI. No. 1175 



ence and Civilization is one of the most impor- 

 tant and fruitful suggestions that have been 

 made for the advancement of knowledge. It 

 is to be hoped that the realization of his idea 

 might come soon and not have to wait until 

 that rather indefinite time — " after the war." 

 As Dr. Sarton very properly points out, it 

 would be particularly important and fitting if 

 this institute would be founded in this coun- 

 try at this time. That the United States, since 

 he wrote his communication, has entered the 

 war should make no difference. We are, as I 

 understand it, fighting for internationalism 

 and the founding of the institute now would 

 emphasize the international spirit of Ameri- 

 can science. ' 



What most particularly interests me in Dr. 

 Sarton's plan is the place he gives to Bibliog- 

 raphy. Some readers of Science wiU perhaps 

 remember a couple of communications that the 

 present writer sent to this journal, now many 

 years ago, on the subject of a proposition for 

 an Institute for Bibliographical Research. 

 The two ideas should be combined. A third 

 idea might perhaps be added to this combina- 

 tion, namely the plan for a lending library for 

 libraries, consisting of large and expensive 

 works, chiefly periodicals, transactions and col- 

 lections, just the kind of publications that the 

 Institute would need for the proper carrying 

 on of its researches ; that the collections of such 

 a library would have to be made available to 

 students all over the country should make no 

 difference; it would emphasize the national 

 character of the Institute. 



Xow, as to Bibliography, one of the first 

 duties of the Institute would be to prepare an 

 adequate and, as far as possible, complete bib- 

 liography of the history of science. The " List 

 of Books on the History of Science," with its 

 Supplement and its companion " List of Books 

 on the History of Industry," published by The 

 John Crerar Library, is merely a bringing to- 

 gether of the material, and only part of the 

 material, for such a bibliography. Further- 

 more, bibliographical research must be one of 

 the principal methods of study in the insti- 

 tute. There should be a separate, specially or- 

 ganized, division for Bibliography, the func- 



tion of which should be not only to carry on 

 bibliographical research and publication, but 

 to give those who come to the institute what 

 they do not seem to get in American universi- 

 ties, a much needed training in the technique 

 of bibliographical compilation and recording. 

 It is not uncommon to find otherwise well 

 equipped scholars totally incapable, apparently, 

 of making bibliographical references in a con- 

 sistent and systematic way, though thoroughly 

 familiar with the bibliography of their subjects 

 and its byways. Those who are interested in a 

 few examples, will find them in an article by 

 the present writer in volume 7 of the Papers 

 of the Bibliographical Society of America, en- 

 titled " Efficiency and Bibliographical Re- 

 search." 



Aksel G. S. Josephson 

 The John Creeab Libraky 



popular names of plants 

 To THE Editor of Science: My attention 

 was recently called to an article in your issue 

 of February 2 concerning popular names of 

 North American plants. I especially noted 

 the following sentence: 



It is clear, however, that pupils in the public 

 schools, as well as many of their teachers, do not 

 take any interest in or remember the Latin names 

 of plants. This being so, it is highly desirable that 

 every species of plant inhabiting the United States 

 and Canada shoiild have an English name. It is 

 further desirable that the name should not be a 

 local one. . . . 



Several years ago when acting as editor-in- 

 chief of The Nature-Study Review, I took 

 interest in this question of popular names of 

 plants and discussed it with many competent 

 teachers of nature-study. I was forced to the 

 conclusion that in a large number of cases it 

 is possible and highly desirable that we should 

 make the English out of the generic names. 

 It is my observation that children learn these 

 names quite as easily as they do English 

 names with which they are not already 

 familiar. It is nonsense to claim that chil- 

 dren can not learn scientific names, for 

 example, chrysanthemimi and hippopotamus. 

 As examples of familiar plants which are very 

 generally known by their scientific names or 



