THE AMERICAN BOTANIST. 
sun daily for about three weeks, or until the\' are thor- 
oughly dry, when they are packed for exportation." 
Not only is chocolate deJicious to the taste of most 
people, but it is nutritious, refreshing and devoid of any 
noxious or stimulating alkaloids, unlike coffee or tea, which 
are partaken of as infusions; chocolate (unless in the case 
of the inferior drink called "shells") is taken directly into 
the stomach and acts as food. 
Brozvn Uuizrrsify. Proz-idcnce, R. I. 
HOW TO BEGIN BOTANY. 
BY WILLARD N. CLUTE. 
'T'HE student who is taking up botany at present can 
scarcely realize the difficulties that presented them- 
selves to the plant student fifteen or twenty years ago. Then 
the names of our familiar wild flowers could not be learned 
by comparing the plant with its picture in a book, for there 
were no books. Of course, there were technical manuals 
earlier than that, but it required considerable study before 
the knowledge locked up in these volumes became intellig- 
ible to the ordinary mortal. It is small wonder that botan- 
ists in those days were exceedingly rare. Such botanists 
as there were, however, were usually deeply learned in their 
subject, for no one ttx)k up the study of plants at that time 
unless he was urged on by his love of the science. 
The past few years have witnessed the production of 
a vast array of books designed to smooth the way for the 
plant student, until the merest novice may know the names 
of the showy wildtlowers. His only perplexity is likely to 
be not where to find a book devoted to plants, but which 
book of the many to select. The following obser^-ations are 
designed to assist the novice in selecting. 
