614 
ing in this country, and that they were not 
more widely adopted was due partly to the 
then transitional state of botanical teach- 
ing, and partly to difference of opinion as 
to the wisdom of some of its recommenda- 
tions. The discussions of the same Associ- 
ation led in subsequent years to the expo- 
sition of the idea of standard entrance op- 
tions, and these are set forth with the 
greatest clearness in the report of the com- 
mittee on college entrance requirements 
of that Association published in July, 1899. 
Now, if the course in botany recommended 
in that report were adapted to immediate 
use, and if it had the approval of the 
majority of teachers, there would be noth- 
ing left to be done except to urge its adop- 
tion. In fact, however, whatever we may 
think of the merits or demerits of the 
course, we must all agree that it is im- 
practicable at present for the great majority 
of schools. That course, with its great em- 
phasis upon ecology, represents an extreme 
reaction from the old formal systematic 
studies, and, as is usual in such cases, the 
truth will doubtless ultimately be found to 
lie between the extremes. I had myself 
the honor to be consulted in the preparation 
of that report and gave my adherence to it 
as to an ideal scheme to be worked towards 
rather than as one to be brought into im- 
mediate practical operation. What is 
needed at present, however, is a course 
which, while setting a high and stimula- 
ting standard of intellectual work, can be 
brought practically and profitably into ope- 
ration in the immediate future. 
It will help us to understand the situa- 
tion if we glance at the status of botany as 
an entrance subject in a few of the leading 
colleges. ‘Those which follow are selected 
partly at random and partly because their 
announcements happen to be at present ac- 
cessible to me, but doubtless they are fairly 
representative. Bryn Mawr requires a 
science, which may be botany, from all stu- 
SCIENCE. 
[N. S. Von. XIII. No. 329. 
dents, but the amount is small; apparently 
no sciences are accepted as options. Chicago 
accepts botany, a year’s preparation, as a 
free option, counting 1 out of 15 points, 
and will accept 4 out of 15 points in 
sciences. Columbia accepts sciences as op- 
tions up to 3 points out of 15, of which 
botany may count 1 point. Cornell accepts 
a science, which may be botany, as an al- 
ternative for the otherwise required mathe- 
matics. Harvard requires a science, which 
cannot be botany, counting 2 out of 26 
points for entrance to the college, and will 
accept 7 or 8 points of sciences as options ; 
botany, however, is accepted to count 1 
point out of 21 for entrance to the Law- 
rence Scientific School, for which 5 points 
in the sciences out of 21 will be accepted as 
options. Johns Hopkins requires a science, 
which may be botany, but the amount re- 
quired is small. Leland Stanford accepts 
5 points out of 15 in sciences, of which 
botany may be one, counting 1 point. 
Michigan requires a year of physics abso- 
lutely of all students, and in addition ac- 
cepts three years of science, of which botany 
may occupy either a year or, in combina- 
tion with zoology, a half year. Minnesota 
appears to accept 54 points out of 15 in 
sciences as options, of which botany may 
count as $or 1 point. Nebraska accepts 7 
points in sciences out of 28 as options in 
one college; of which botany may count 2 
points: and requires 3 points in the sci- 
ences, of which botany may be 1 point in the 
other college, and in the latter apparently 7 
points in addition may be taken as options. 
Smith will accept the equivalent of 5 points 
out of 15 in the sciences as options, of which 
botany may count either as 1 point for a 
year of preparation or as 2 for two years, 
preparation. Of other colleges, some do 
not accept any sciences at all, while a few 
others which accept some of the sciences 
do not include botany among them. It 
appears, also, as would be expected, that the 
