36 T O R R E Y A 



be found, or to monograph the genus Carex. \\'ise in proportion to his years, 

 he knew that good taxononiists can develop but can not be forced, and he 

 probably felt and hoped that from such a group there might arise from time 

 to time a few taxononiists who, through their deep interest, their keen 

 observation, and their taxonomic curiosity, would really contribute to the 

 advancement of science. He. therefore, neither overwhelmed them with his 

 own knowledge nor belittled their own amateur work, but listened patiently 

 to the accounts of their adventure, praised them for their discoveries, and by 

 his geniality and interest encouraged them to further study. These were the 

 men who organized themselves into the Torrey Botanical Club in 1867. 



After the death of Torrey, the Club was left to stand or fall on its own 

 merits. During the seventies it was held together partly by the common inter- 

 est of its members, which could be expressed in meetings and field excursions, 

 and partly by the responsibility of publishing the Torrey Bulletin. 



As the first contribution which the Torrey Club has made to taxonomy, 

 we naturally think of its publications. For many years the largest item in the 

 budget of the Club has been for the production of the Bulletin, the Memoirs, 

 and ToRREYA. And as the Club has been generous, so have taxonomists, not 

 only the members of the Club but non-members as well, been fortunate in 

 finding in it a dignified and reputable means of presenting their results 

 to the world. 



Those who have had occasion to look through the early volumes of the 

 Bulletin know that the membership of the Club was originally composed 

 almost entirely of amateur taxonomists, of young men interested in the local 

 flora, and that Dr. Torrey was the only professional taxonomist in the group. 

 From the pens of these young men came a series of short notes, almost all 

 taxonomic or floristic in nature and most of them very amateurish. Some of 

 them soon graduated into actual research work : among them T. F. Allen and 

 C. F. Austin, who began during the seventies to publish critical discussions 

 and descriptions of new species of Chareae and Hepaticae. 



The Bulletin soon began to attract the attention of other American 

 botanists, and during the seventies and early eighties its pages contain con- 

 tributions from such well-known men as F. L. Collins, A. H. Curtis, J. B. Ellis, 

 George Engelmann. Asa Gray, Charles H. Peck, John Donnell Smith, William 

 Trelease. L. ]\I. Underwood, and Francis Wolle. As its circulation grew, 

 so did the length and importance of its articles. Little by little the local 

 observations disappeared and were replaced by sober research, until during 

 the eighties and nineties it had become without doubt the leading American 

 outlet for the publication of taxonomic research. To supplement the Bulletin 

 and to provide for longer articles, the ]\Iemoirs were established in 1889 and 

 have given the bulk of their pages also to taxonomy. Torreya was established 



