PRACTICAL FIELD BOTANY 115 
economic lines, by the popularization of pure life-histories of plants, 
through nature study, museums, scientific societies, and other 
associations, and in the universities.” What is intended by ‘“‘pure 
life-histories ” ? 
‘‘ Ecology has been defined as the topographical physiology of 
plants. It may be merely descriptive and record real pictures of 
large scale at any definite spot, and explain the relationship of the 
arrangements between themselves and to the edaphic factors of 
soil, climate, &c.” (p. 24), 
‘Many plants have real medical properties shorn of the absurd 
superstitions of the past, and a knowledge of these is essential to 
any student of plants, being to-day increasingly important” (p. 30). 
‘there are many reasons for establishing a section in the 
garden of wild flowers” (p. 31 
over, like to study wild flowers out of doors in the open air 
without necessarily plucking them” (p. 80). Do they ? 
A saving sense of humour would have spared us such truisms 
as these :— Flax is derived from the flax” (p. 121); “Sedges 
is found, but they are grown, not for their natural beauty, but for 
the filberts which figure in dessert” | p. 82). Is, then, the filbert 
? s 
been led to say Beech is exempt from this” [lightning] (p. 36). 
One can believe so, from observation, without being open to the 
charge of superstition; the smooth bark may account for its 
apparent immunity. 
‘‘ Jawbreaking ” terms are too freely used. Among others we 
find “ oxylophites””—a vile word, which has no true Greek 
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