184 



the ecological extremes of the series » — lot I the lowest habitat, 

 a moist meadow thicket near the "Half Way House," and lot 

 Vn the highest, the alpine meadow at "Windy Point." 



This result is, I think, suggestive. The problem which it 

 raises is this: In a series of habitats (ranging from the most 

 lowland to the most alpine conditions) , each apparently uniform 

 in itself, is the lowest variability found in the most extreme 

 environments? 



The present data are of course quite inadequate for an answer 

 to the problem. The purpose of this note is merely to call it 

 to the attention of other botanists who in vacations in the moun- 

 tains may have the opportunity of securing data really ample 

 for its solution. 





Plants 



Mean and Probable 



Absolute Variability 



Relative Variability 





Measured 



Error 



and Probable Error 



and Probable Error 



I 



I8S 



60.24 =*= .59 



II. 81 =t .41 



19.6 ± 0.7 



II 



37 



32.78 ± .92 



8.27 =fc .65 



25.2 ± 2.1 



III 



85 



36.16 =fc .55 



7-47 =*= -39 



20.7 ± I.X 



IV 



io6 



27-59 ± -46 



7.01 =fc .32 



25-4 * 1-3 



V 



68 



22.47 =*= -50 



6.09 ± .35 



27.0 ± 1.7 



VI 



139 



25.02 =1= .40 



6.93 =fc .28 



27.7 =fc 1.2 



VII 



117 



21.00 ± .28 



4.42 ± .19 



21.0 ± I.O 



THE PRESERVATION OF OUR NATIVE PLANTS 



In August, 1 901, the Misses Olivia and Caroline Phelps 

 Stokes presented to the New York Botanical Garden a fund of 

 $3,000, the interest of which has been used for the protection of 

 native plants. Various methods have been tried, beginning 

 with a series of three prizes for essays on this subject, offered 

 first to the teachers and older persons, which resulted in a num- 

 ber of good essays, the best of which were printed in the Journal 

 of the New York Botanical Garden in 1902 and 1904. The 

 prize essays were written by Dr. F. H. Knowlton, U. S. National 

 Museum, Washington, D. C.; Miss Cora H. Clarke, daughter 

 of James Freeman Clarke of Boston; Dr. A. J. Grout, Boys' 

 High School, Brooklyn; Miss Mary Perle Anderson, supervisor 

 of nature study. University School for Girls, Chicago, 111.; Miss 

 Jean Broadhurst, of Teachers' College, Columbia University, 

 and Mr. G. Gordon Copp. 



