106 L.8.C. Proceedings of the Ninth (N.S., XVIII, 
HARRISON !| in reporting on manurial experiments on rice at 
Pusa states that ‘in a few isolated pots (about 6 per cent of 
the total) a very abnormal growth took place, varying from 
200-500 per cent increase over the check pots in their particu- 
lar series,’’ and ‘‘ other officers in the department have had 
similar experience ’ (p. 43). The cause of this unusual growth 
remains unknown, but the fact indicates the possibility of 
enormous increase in plant production, when the factors in- 
ready known to be an important factor in promoting plant 
EcoLoey. 
_ _ Ecology is not as clearly defined as the other great sub- 
divisions of botany. It is still largely an observational science 
and as it becomes more exact it tends to pass over into mor- 
phology and physiology. It is as yet largely a matter of 
observation and description of vegetation, and the value of 
the results depends therefore on the critical judgment of the 
observer. | 
In recent years there has been great activity in ecology in 
north temperate regions, and latterly in the south temperate 
also. But little has been done in the tropics, and almost 
nothing in a climate such as ours, and in areas of crowded 
agricultural populations such as are found in India and China. 
SCHIMPER * has worked in Java, and Brown?‘ has made in- 
tensive studies in the Philippines There is only a little such 
comprehensive work of India. Hookrr * * has described the 
plant geography, and divided the country into characteristic 
vegetational areas, giving the distinct floral composition of 




_ | Harrison, W. H. Report of the Imperial Agricultural Chemist. 
Sei. Repts. Agric. Res. nst., Pusa 1918-19: 35-45. 1919. 
* Coteman, L. ©. Indian agricultural development. Jour. and Proc. 
c Soc. Bengal, N.S. 14: 102-19. 1918. (Presidential address be- 
fore x Section Agriculture, Lahore meeting of the Indian Science Con- 
gress. 
* Scuimper, A. FW. Plant Geography upon a Physivlogical Basis. 
English translation. Oxford, 190 i 
m114m H. Vegetation of Thilippine Mountains. 
ROWN, 
Manila, i919 
° 00KER. J. D. Introductory essay in Hooker and THOMSON. 
Flora Indica, pp. 1-260. London, 1855. 
H .). 
ica 2 
OOKE Chapte , in Vol. I. Imperial Gazetteer of 
India. Oxford, 1907 an ROE TP! wer 
