36 



Dr. M. C. Cooke's paper to which reference is made. It would 

 indicate that comparisons as to the relative merits of various 

 phases of botanical work are not all of recent utterance. Gilbert 

 White, in The Natural History of Selborne, in letter XL to the 

 Honourable Daines Harrington, dated June 2, 1778, made passing 

 comment in these words: "The standing objection to botany has 

 always been, that it is a pursuit that amuses the fancy and exer- 

 cises the memory, without improving the mind or advancing 

 any real knowledge; and where the science is carried no further 

 than a mere systematic classification, the charge is but too true. 

 But the botanist that is desirous of wiping off this aspersion 

 should be by no means content with a list of names; he should 

 study plants philosophically, should investigate the laws of 

 vegetation, should examine the powers and virtues of efficacious 

 herbs, should promote their cultivation; and graft the gardener, 

 the planter, and the husbandman, on the phytologist. Not 

 that system is by any means to be thrown aside ; without system 

 the field of nature would be a pathless wilderness ; but system 

 should be subservient to, not the main object of, pursuit." 



Wilbur L. King 



PROCEEDINGS OF THE CLUB 



November 12, 1912 

 The meeting of November 12, 191 2, was held at the American 

 Museum of Natural History at 8:15 P.M. President Burgess 

 presided. Twenty persons were present. 



The minutes of the meeting of October 30 were read and 

 approved . 



The announced scientific program consisted of an illustrated 

 lecture by Mr. J. J. Levison on "Tree Problems of Our City." 

 Meeting adjourned. 



B. O. Dodge, 



Secretary 



November 27, 1912 

 The meeting of November 27, 1912, was held in the laboratory 

 of the New York Botanical Garden at 3:30 P.M. Vice-president 

 Barnhart presided. Ten persons were present. 



