THE WOMAN BOTANIST. 91 



There is this advantage in being an amateur: 

 one may break into verse if so inclined. A 

 technologist or professor is not supposed to 

 have any such inclinations. 



The true botanist is bom, not made — as you 

 may have heard in regard to specialists in other 

 fields. When, as a child, she sought the woods 

 on holidays, bringing back the precious spoil 

 of flower, fern, and sedge, the woman who would 

 desire to name and classify was foreshadowed. 



What is it for a woman to be a botanist? 

 With maternal, domestic, or social duties, to 

 say nothing of literary, if she incline that way, 

 and each an occupation in itself, how shall she 

 find opportunity to cultivate acquaintance with 

 Nature and reduce her observations to a sci- 

 ence? 



She will do it because she was born to do it ; 

 because within her is the heaven-imparted kin- 

 ship with Nature which is the open sesame to 

 that kingdom of delight. But she will do it 

 under difficulties. 



"Who is it goes 'round the woods and 

 'round the roads and leaves a rag on every 

 bush?" asks the facetious riddler. The an- 

 swer is not "The snow," but, "The woman 

 botanist." Let them have their fun; there is 

 no truth in this, I assure you. 



Yet she is no respecter of good clothes. One 



