Josselyn Botanical Society 



15 



increasingly difficult to define, and the Linnaean idea of fixity 

 of species must be abandoned. 



Before closing let me refer to two practical matters. As 

 far as I know, this state does not boast a single botanical 

 garden. No doubt our climate forbids such extensive gardens 

 as are found in milder regions, but for purposes of general 

 education there ought to be a living collection of the plants 

 which can be grown in this region. Manifestly this ought to 

 be situated where there is a botanist, preferably in connection 

 with an institution of learning, or else near a city. Closely 

 related to a botanical garden is a hortus siccus. I suppose all 

 members of our club know that at the State University an 

 herbarium is located, one of the departments of which is a 

 collection of the plants of the state. Although this is in a 

 fairly satisfactory condition, I regret to say as curator that 

 only too often I find gaps in this collection. It seems to me 

 that it would be an entirely possible scheme for the Josselyn 

 Botanical Club to make this collection truly representative, 

 by sending in specimens from any part of the state in which 

 they happen to be collecting. I take the liberty of making a 

 hearty bid for your co-operation in this matter. 



In conclusion, let us keep in mind the dignity of our sub- 

 ject. While I was studying at the University of Chicago, I 

 overheard a remark which has, so to speak, "stuck in my 

 crop" ever since. A young medical student was heard ask- 

 ing one of the librarians, "Who is that fellow who just took 

 out those books? What is he studying?'' The librarian 

 replied that the person was studying botany. "Well," com- 

 mented the embryo doctor, "I can't see why a man should 

 study such a subject as botany!" When we recall that our 

 subject has made valuable contributions to medicine and to 

 art, and that it is at the basis of permanent agriculture, that 

 plants literally feed the world, we need offer apologies to no 

 one, but go on our w T ay with much content. 



