212 Woodhead : Plant Geography in Switzerland. 



which are a characteristic feature of the Swiss botany schools, 

 especially those of Ziirich and Geneva. 



Prof. Chodat of Geneva was the first to organise big excur- 

 sions, e.g., in 1899 he accompanied his students to Mallorca, 

 where three weeks were spent in studying the flora of this inter- 

 esting island in the Mediterranean. He had previously made 

 excursions to the south of France, Corsica, Italy, and the south 

 of Spain. 



In the botany school of the Polytechnicum of Ziirich, under 

 Prof. Schroter, some twenty days are devoted to excursions 

 during the summer semester, several taking place at week- 

 ends. Two are for longer periods, viz. : four days at Whitsun- 

 tide, and another lasting seven to eight days at the end of the 

 semester. This longer or * Schluss-excursion ' is usually in 

 the Alps. They are remarkably well-organised, and excellently 

 adapted to give students an insight into the various plant 

 associations, to encourage careful observation in, and stimulate 

 an interest for work in the field. They are relatively inex- 

 pensive, but to meet the needs of students who have not the 

 means, a fund exists of 30,000 francs (^1,200), the interest of 

 which is distributed as thought desirable. Thus many students 

 are able to profit by them, who would otherwise be debarred. 



A visit to the Alps, in company with Prof. Schroter, is 

 indeed the happiest of experiences, his extensive knowledge 

 of the Alpine flora, in all its varied branches, his untiring energy 

 and interest in his students, is equalled only by his geniality 

 and genuine comradeship. 



My visit to Switzerland happened to fall at a most favour- 

 able period, a year of big excursions, for, in addition to many 

 excursions in the Swiss Alps, Prof. Schroter invited me to 

 accompany him to the Southern Carpathians, through the 

 plains of Hungary to the remarkable * pusta ' of Hortobagy, 

 then through the Stiermark Alps and the Tyrol to the Alps of 

 Northern Italy. 



In March, 1906, his colleague Dr. Rikh, following the 

 example set by Prof. Chodat, organised a month's excursion 

 to the Mediterranean,*, when 25 of us, professors and students, 

 had the opportunity of studying the flora of Mallorca, and in 

 Spain, from Alicante through the south of the Peninsula, 

 over the Sierra Nevada to Granada, then to Madrid, and 

 Barcelona, ending a most interesting tour by a visit to Mont- 

 serrat. Dr. Rikli has this year organised a still greater ex- 



Naturalist, 



