Ill 



INTRODUCTION. 



The first step in the botanical survey of a given area is the 

 field exploration of the vegetation and the accumulation of 

 material for cabinet study. This material must include specimens 

 adequate for the determination and description of the component 

 species, together with illustrative examples of the useful products 

 any of these species yield. The authentic data thus supplied 

 should be accompanied by notes made on the spot for the 

 purpose of enabling herbarium and museum workers to reach 

 approximately reliable scientific and economic conclusions. 



most 



conditioned 



The more thorough that study is, the longer its completion is 

 delayed. Moreover, convenience may dictate or accident demand 

 descriptive treatment of collections formed during an individual 

 season or a particular expedition. The scientific interest and 



'tial contributions are often great. 



commerical 



discussio 



scatterediih 



a host of publications not everywhere easily accessible, and 

 based on testimony not always uniform, become difficult to 

 reconcile. Further action is therefore necessary. 



The second step in a botanical survey, taken as soon as the 

 material available can be regarded as fairly representative of 

 the vegetation of the area concerned, is the preparation of a 

 systematic census of the constituent plants. Such a work, 

 however, must be more than a serial Kst of the species enumerated. 

 It must provide a record of the localities in which each species 



met 



m 



field. It should afford in addition the seasonal and environ- 

 mental data required by the student of plant-associations, and 

 refer for the benefit of commerce and industry to properties 

 ascertained or reputed in respect of particular species. Diverg- 

 ence of view in earlier partial floristic studies must be recorded 

 even when it cannot be explained. 



If field -exploration be merely a means to floristic study, the 

 latter in turn is only a means to further ends. If carried out 

 conscientiously it ought to supply the taxonomist with hint^ 

 as to the affinities of plants in general; assist the monographer 

 of special families or genera, and the student of plant distribution ; 

 provide the investigator of plant environment with information on 

 which to base sound conclusions, and enable the applied biologist 



to further economic ends. 



)/ Tropical Afi 



tun 



more 



an instance of prolonged 



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