NKWS UK UTllKll SUC'IKTIKS 
115 
To return to the main Congress sessions. These were opened by an 
impressive s[)eech, in faultless English, by the (b'own Prince (now King) 
of Sweden. The majority of i>apers were then read at one of the meet- 
ings of 'the 16 separate Sections catering for every branch of Potany, 
from the modern palynology and cj’togenetics to the more traditional 
morphology and systeniatics. Probably the best attended lectures were 
those given by members of the Russian delegation of eight, which ar- 
rived somewhat unexpectedly and latej and in particular by the four 
geneticists, who gave papers at a special evening session. The strongest 
impression of these which remains, is of the great gulf betAveen the 
Russian concept of what constitutes a scientific experiment, and proof 
or disproof of a scientific hypothesis, and that held by the company 
as a whole. 
The Congress received enormous publicity in the national and local 
Swedish press; most national (i.e. Stockholm) pajiers carried an edi- 
torial welcome on the first day (in one paper in both Swedish and Eng- 
lish) and a front-page article on the proceedings every day throughout 
the sessions. The local papers seized with avidity upon reports of the 
field excursions, their articles abounding in fascinating mis-spellings 
of the outlandish names of distinguished participants, and illustrated 
by ])hotographs said to show botanists studying SAvedish vegetation. 
This phenomenon, so striking to an Englishman, is only partly to be 
ex|)lained in terms of plentiful newsprint and relatively little news com- 
petition; it undoubtedly in 2>art reflects the widespread appreciation 
of field natural history timong the people in this country of the Lin- 
nean tradition. 
What Avere the concrete achievements of the Congress? I have al- 
ready indicated those concerning taxonomy and nomenclature, with 
Avhich our Society is perhaps most concerned. Less conci’etely, but of 
great value, hoAvever, Avas the demonstration that our science is and 
must remain international, and has not yet fragmented irretrievably 
into specialisms; a demonstration brought home most AUA^idly to the in- 
dividual participant in conversations Avith fellow-botanists from other 
lands, and particularly in enjoyment and study together of AAdiat Avas to 
most a neAv and hitherto unexplored A'egetation. On the excursions 
botanists from other lands Avere soon aAvare of the active continuing 
field tradition for Avhich Linnaeus laid such a sure foundation; and 
many must have envied the Scandinavians their knowledge of the dis- 
tribution of their native flora by virtue of Avhich Professor Hulten’s 
magnificent Atlas of the Distribution of Vasc^dar Plants in iV.TF. Europe 
has been produced. 
S. M. Walters. 
INTERNATIONA!. ASSOCfATION FOR PLANT TAXONOMY 
This Association Avas formed as a result of a^ meeting during the 
Seventh International Botanical Congress at Stockholm last summer. 
Its aims are stated to be ; — -“To consider measures for the future de- 
