328 The British Association at Sheffield. 
(which was one of the shortest on record) on Thursday morning, 
September 1st. The address is particularly opportune at the 
present time, when, owing to the work not only of systematists, 
but also of ecologists, renewed interest, and on wider lines than 
before, is being exhibited in the study of plants in the field. The 
President passed in review the various floras that have appeared 
from time to time, and pointed out that a mass of additional data 
has already been accumulated, but is, at present, to a large extent 
buried in various scientific journals and the transactions of 
societies. Hitherto the work has been largely individual, and so 
far at least as Botany is concerned, there is a conspicuous absence 
in Britain of more elaborate combined efforts such as are not in¬ 
frequent on the Continent. Professor Trail put forward a plea for 
the preparation of a great National Flora. “ Such a flora ” said he 
“ would probably require to be in the form of monographs by 
specialists, issued as each could be prepared, but as part of a well- 
planned whole. It should give for each plant far more than is 
contained in even the best of our existing British floras. Means 
of identification must be provided in the descriptions, with 
emphasised diagnostic characters; but there should also be the 
necessary synonomy, a summary of topographical distribution, 
notes of man’s influence on distribution, abundance, &c., on any 
biological or other point of interest in structure or relations to 
habitat, &c. Local names, uses and folklore should also be 
included. In a national flora there should be included an account 
of the successive floras of former periods, and, as far as possible, 
the changes that can be traced in the existing flora from its earliest 
records to the time of issue should be recorded.” Though it may 
be long before such a scheme can arrive at fruition, it is certainly 
one which should command the sympathies and co-operation 
of a large number of workers. Could the plan be once seriously 
formulated, it would serve to give point and direction to a 
great deal of work which is being carried on all over the country, 
even at the present time. At the President’s request, a British 
Association Committee was appointed to consider and report on 
the question of the preparation of materials for such a flora of the 
British Isles. 
Joint Meetings. 
Monday morning was devoted to a joint meeting with the 
Sections of Chemistry and Physiology for the consideration of the 
Biochemistry of Respiration. 
