Band 107. Nr. 21. 
XXIX. Jaargang. I. Bd. Nr. 21. 
Botanisches Centralblatt. 
Referirendes Organ 
der 
Association Internationale des Botanistes 
für das Gesamtgebiet der Botanik. 
Herausgegeben unter der Leitung 
des Präsidenten: des Vice-Präsidenten: des Secretärs: 
Prof. Dr. R. v. Wettstein, Prof. Dr. Ch. Flahault. Dr. J. P. Lotsy. 
und der Redactions-Commissions-Mitglieder: 
Prof. Dr. Wm. Trelease, Dr. R. Pampanini und Prof. Dr. F. W. Oliver. 
von zahlreichen Specialredacteuren in den verschiedenen Ländern. 
Dr. J. P. LOTSY, Chefredacteur. 
Abonnement für dass halbe Jahr 14 Mark 
durch alle Buchhandlungen und Postanstalten. 
Alle für die Redaction bestimmten Sendungen sind zu richten an Herrn 
Dr. J. P. LOTSY, Chefredacteur, Leiden (Holland), Witte Singel 26. 
Farmer, J. B., Address to the Botanical Section. (British 
Association for the Advancement of Science. Leicester. 1907. 10 pp.) 
In this address the author’s theme is the importance of a 
physiological conception of morphological phenomena “since the 
goal of all scientific enquiry lies in the ultimate ascertaining of 
cause and effect.” “Chemistry 7 and physics each present to their 
followers problems far more elementary than those with which 
botanists have to grapple, but the explanation of the great advances 
which these two branches have made lies essentially in the fact 
that an analysis of the factors involved has enabled the investigator 
intelligently to interfere with and so to control the mode of 
presentation of the reacting bodies to each other. We can never 
expect to get further than to be able to modify the mode of 
presentation to each other of the materials that interact to produce 
what we call the manifestations of life, but the measure of our 
achievement will depend on the degree in which we are successful 
in accomplishing this.” Utility is no explanation of the appearance 
of a structure; many of the responses of an organism are of a kind 
to render the organism adapted to its environment but to put 
forward adaptedness as an explanation of the process is both 
unscientific and superficial. 
Reference is made to the importance of an investigation of the 
real underlying conditions which govern such reactions as the 
formation of cork from the Stimulus of wounding, the colour 
changes in leaves as the result of the stoppage of translocation, 
the formation of sexual Organs in Eurotium by keeping it at a 
temperature of 26° C. 
Botan. Centralblatt. Band 107. 1%8. 
34 
