MEETING OF THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18 5 
iology, another to taxonomy, another to plant pathology, and so 
on. 
I do not think an Abstract Journal for American botany alone 
would meet the situation. Nearly every botanist in America now 
has access to nearly all, or all, of American publications. What we 
need is a journal which is complete and will give us suitable ab- 
stracts of botanical contributions (original) from all parts of the 
world no matter what language the original is published in. I 
believe practically all of our botanists in this country would be 
willing to pay $10 а year for such an Abstract Journal. I think 
bacteriology should be excluded, for bacteriologists will have their 
own abstracts, and I would exclude abstracts of remedial measures 
for plant diseases. 
I believe such an Abstract Journal should aim to be the organ 
of communication for the botanists of the world. I believe it 
should admit abstracts in at least three different languages 
(English, French and German) according to the wish of the writer 
of the review, unless the journal can be put on a sufficient financial 
basis to have a strongly centralized organization. 
I doubt if the Torrey Botanical Club alone could swing such 
a proposition. If such an Abstract Journal could receive a suffi- 
cient foundation, either from a personal donor, or from some exist- 
ing institution, as has been suggested, so that a central bureau in 
New York or Washington could prepare the abstracts and publish 
the journal, it would render a great service to the botany of the 
iwi and particularly of this country. 
. HENDLEY BARNHART said: In this matter, as in some 
Жүзе І fear that I am a pessimist. This is a great project, and 
an attractive one, and I do not like to seem to be trying to throw 
cold water on it. But I fear that those who are backing the ven- 
ture do not realize as fully as I do the difficulties to be met. If 
the proposed abstract journal is to be undertaken, it should be 
commenced at once, for the need is great, the time is ripe, and the 
opportunity, if lost, may never come again. But the attempt to 
abstract American botanical literature only is not worth while; 
the world-field is vast; the journal would inevitably exceed in sizé 
and cost the limits estimated in advance. If done at all, it should 
be well done. And it must not be forgotten that, as a rule, per- 
sons competent to prepare reliable abstracts are also fitted for 
original investigation, and it is always difficult to induce an investi- 
gator to lay aside his chosen work long enough to write out reports 
upon the work of others. 
After all, however, adequate financial subsidy at the beginning, 
continued as long as necessary, perhaps indefinitely, is the most 
essential requirement. Given this, and competent editorial 
