THE AMERICAN BOTANIST 3 I 
Once found, they must be carefully and extensively studied. The 
one case which I have mentioned here shows sufficiently the 
great treasure of new facts which lies within our reach. All that 
is necessary is to overcome the first difficulties.— Frc>;/z- an article 
by Prof. Hugo de Vrics in Science. 
THE AMERICAN BOTANICAL CLUB. 
When the charter of the American Botanical Club closed, on 
the 1 6th of August, there were more than half a hundred mem- 
bers on its list. Around this nucleus there is certain to be form- 
ed a strong society that will prove its right to exist by many con- 
tributions to our knowledge of the plants. 
A friend of the club has offered two prizes to be awarded in 
June, 1903, for the best report submitted by a member. To this 
the publishers of the American Botanist add three more mak- 
ing a total of five. The first prize will consist of a copy of either 
Gray's, Wood's or Btitton's ^lanual as the winner may select. 
The second prize is a copy of ''Botanizing" by Pl'of. W. W. 
Bailey. The other prizes are three yearly subscriptions to this 
journal to be awarded to the three next best reports. All reports 
received up to June 15, 1903, will be included in the contest. The 
committee of award will consist of the president of the club and 
two other botanists to be selected later. Reports will be judged 
according to the following value: Originality of subjects 15, 
method of treatment 10, literary style 12, neatness of report 3. 
The reports may deal with any subject in botany that has inter- 
ested the writer and each member may submit as many different 
reports on different subjects as he likes; all will be entered in the 
competition. It is probable that a report detailing the study of a 
single species will be most likely to be a prize winner, because this 
phase offers the most opportunities for original investigation, but 
it is possible that a study of some point in ecology;, in the distri- 
bution of plants, or in the structure of plants will carry off the 
palm. Reports are to be submitted to the president in the usual 
way and are to become the property of the club. 
An article of the constitution provides that when there are at 
least five members of the club in one locality they may form a 
