13 



that the beginner invariably attaches so much importance to 

 the Latin or Greek words appHed to it. In reality, if we lose 

 the name, it is easily found again from the plant itself, even 

 if the scientist has mixed up the names in the meantime ; but 

 once the locality is lost, all is lost. But why attach so much 

 importance to locality? Because a plant as a mere representa- 

 tive of the species is not worth much. Let it be known, how- 

 ever, in what latitude it was found, in what soil it grew and 

 whether in sun or shade, and we can see by comparison with 

 plants from other localities just how much all these things 

 have affected it. Botany is not the study of scientific names, 

 although many seem to think so; it is the study of the plants 

 themselves. We are decidedly handicapped in such study if we 

 do not know the conditions under which our specimens 

 grew. 



After the locality the fact of most importance is the date. 

 Specimens are not valueless without it, but it should be added 

 if possible. It is customary, also, to add the collector's name ; 

 in fact this is very desirable when the other data have been se- 

 cured. Labels are seldom too circumstantial. They are usually 

 lacking in such details as soil, altitude and surroundings, 

 facts which should never be omitted if it can be avoided. 



The style of label plays an important part in the appear- 

 ance of the mounted specimen. The practice of embellishing 

 labels with fancy borders and choice selections of display type 

 has happily gone out. The present style is in the line of plain, 

 neat slips, which tell what they are meant to tell in the short- 



HERBARIUM OF C. A. DAVIS 



Log, 

 Col.. 



No. 1. 



