14 



EDITORIAL. 



Within the past few years the study of nature in America 

 has received a wonderful impetus. Twenty-five years ago books 

 upon natural history were exceedingly few, and the standard 

 works were mostly by British authors. The increased interest 

 in the subject, however, has brought about a great change, and 

 the book-sellers' shelves are now loaded with books by American 

 authors on plants, birds, bugs and mammals, while the press is 

 full of announcements of forthcoming volumes upon the same 

 and' kindred subjects. We are becoming an out-door people, 

 and the rise of such pastimes as wheeling, golfing, camping and 

 tramping, has not only made it fashionable to know something 

 about the marvellous forms of creation that meet us on every 

 hand, but has also considerably increased that body of students 

 who, fashionable or not, will continue to be interested in the ways 

 of plants and animals. To supply information about plants and 

 to supply it in language that the general reader can understand, 

 is the province of The American Botanist. 



In order to insure accuracy in botanical literature, it is nec- 

 essary to use the scientific names, but in all cases where there are 

 common names for the plants mentioned in this journal, such 

 names will be given also, thus making the contents available to 

 the flower-lover as well as*to the strict scientist. Articles and 

 notes suited to our needs are solicited from all into whose hands 

 this number comes. 



It is not necessary to be a prominent scientist to write an 

 article that will interest the flower-lover. Very frequently the 

 prominent scientist is the poorest person that could be chosen 

 for such a task, for he usually gets so deep into some specialty 

 as to lose all sense of what might be called botanical perspective. 

 The things that would interest us, he passes by as too trivial to 

 waste time upon. As an indication of what is wanted for this 

 journal, may be mentioned records of the increase or decrease of 



