SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 19 
East Dorset, where so great a part of Mr. Grout’s life was 
spent, is situated in one of the southern valleys of the Green 
Mountains, a region rich in a varied flora. From a boy he had 
felt an interest in plants,-and a desire to learn something 
about them, and at-East Dorset he began the study of botany, 
a study in which he enjoyed the companionship of his wife. 
Later, in 1894, he began his collection of the plants of that 
region, which he afterwards continued to enlarge, as oppor- 
tunity served. He was one of the founders of the Vermont 
Botanical Club, of which he continued an active member so long 
as he resided in that state. While in Los Angeles he became a 
member of the Southern California Academy of Sciences, and 
on his removal to Riverside was one of the httle company of 
botanists who organized the Botanical Club of that place. In 
this society he took great interest, and was its president until 
his death. 
With advancing years his love of plants rather increased 
than diminished, and although after his removal to California 
his activity was much restricted, he found an unfailing interest 
in the novel flora about him, and lost no opportunity of adding 
to his knowledge of it. The feebleness of his years was of the 
body only, and had not sapped the vigor of his mind. He was 
fortunate in retaining to the last a fresh interest, not only in 
his studies, but in all the great movements and events of our 
times. His disposition was modest and retiring, and a trans- 
parent simplicity, and sincerity were marked traits of his 
character. His gentle and unaffected kindliness are a pleasant 
memory to all who knew him. Sy IBY IP. 
Botanical Nomenclature at the Vienna Congress. 
No subject received more careful consideration at the Inter- 
national Botanical Congress, which met in June last in Vienna, 
than that of botanical nomenclature. The conclusions reached 
by a representative body of this high character are of import- 
ance to botanists everywhere, and especially to us here in 
America, where nomenclature has tended, of late years, to fall 
into lamentable confusion. 
Two rules were adopted without dissent. The first estab- 
hishes 1753, the year in which Linnaeas published his ‘‘Species 
Plantarum,’’ as the initial date for both genera and species. 
The second provides for uniformity in the terminations of the 
names of orders, families, ete. Thus, Carduaceae should take 
the place of Compositae, and Brassicaceae of Cruciferae. 
The remaining laws, while failing to command unanimity, 
were adopted by large majorities. They provide that the 
adjective name shall be preserved when a species is transferred 
