162 



Celastrus scandens, Sarothra gentianoides, Oenothera biennis, Is- 

 nardia paliistris, Cornus alternifolia, Epigaea, Gaidtheria, Fraxi- 

 jius america7ia, Diospyros, Obolaria, Gentiaiia crinita, Bartonia, 

 Asdepias syriaca, Convolvidus Sepitini, Verbena hastata, V. urticae- 

 folia, Prunella zndgaris, Linaria canadensis, Pedicidaris canaden- 

 sis, Melampyrmn, Plantago Rugelii, P. virginica, Hoiistonia caerii- 

 lea, Sanibuciis canadensis, Lonicera senipervirens, Micranipelis 

 lobata, Specidaria perfoliata, Ambrosia trifida, A. artemisiaefolia, 

 Xanthium canadense, Eupatoriiim perfoliatum, Chrysopsis falcata, 

 Solidago canadensis. Aster Novae- Angliae, Antennaria plan- 

 taginifolia, Anaplialis, ErecJithites, and the various species of 

 Panicum, Cliaetochloa, Carex, Sisyrinchium, Rubus, Fragaria, 

 Crataegus, Viola, Physalis, Lactuca, Solidago, Euthamia, and 

 Aster ? 



Are Finns echinata, P. virginiana, P. Strobus, Larix, Picea, 

 Tsnga, Eriocaulon decangidare, Betida nigra, Quercus acuminata, 

 Q. Phellos, Morns rubra, Platamis, Friinns serotina, Rubus occi- 

 dentalis, Acer saccharimwi, A. pennsylvaniciim, Diervilla (and 

 various other species) native on Long Island ? If so, where ? 

 (Many supposed native species in other regions should be sub- 

 jected to similar inquiries.) 



Some of the above questions may seem at iirst to be of no 

 earthly use, but if studied conscientiously their bearing on other 

 important problems will become evident, and at the same time 

 entirely unexpected lines of inquiry may be developed. All 

 of nature's laws are worth knowing, whether they seem to have 

 any immediate practical bearing or not. Of course most of us 

 do not have much time for field work, but what time we do have 

 might as well be spent in studying some of the newer phases of 

 botany, and making distinct contributions to knowledge, as in 

 merely collecting and identifying plants as our predecessors did 

 a hundred years ago. If in all our field work the structures and 

 adaptations of plants are studied in relation to environment and 

 distribution many interesting correlations can be made, and we 

 will gradually come to understand wliy each species grows where 

 it does, wliich ought to be the aim of every field botanist. 



The following discussions of the past, present and future prob- 



