EDITORIAL. 
81 
botanist, Hugo deVries, and which was published under the title 
Die Mutationstheoxie, Within the last few weeks a second book, 
Species and Varieties: their origin by Mutation, being a less tech¬ 
nical and detailed treatment of the problems discussed in the 
earlier work, has been given by deVries to the English speaking 
peoples in their own language. This volume replete with sug¬ 
gestion and inspiration well deserves the full account of it which 
we have planned to give to our readers. 
THE TEACHERS DEPARTMENT. 
Edited by Professor C. Stuart Gager. 
Botanical Geography for Schools.— In the Geographical 
Teacher (2: 201. 1904) C. E. Moss urges the teaching of 
“ Botanical Geography ” in secondary schools. As hints for the 
kind of facts to be noted and studied, the author refers to the fact 
that the temperature, moisture and soil of a given area give rise 
to a type of vegetation dominant for that area. “ Associated with 
the dominant species are less abundant but plentiful plants form¬ 
ing the sub-dominant species. Other species, dependent on the 
foregoing for protection, food, or support are dependent species. 
Such communities are plant associations or plant formations.” 
The whole habitable surface of the globe may be regarded as being 
occupied by various plant associations. 
Almost every school district furnishes examples of a few such 
plant associations, and those districts which include hills, marshes, 
or the sea coast furnish a great many. The following are the 
chief British plant associations that have been described: 
1. Alpine: moss and lichen covered crags and Alpine heaths and 
pasture at 2,000 feet and upwards. 
2. Sub-Alpine: Cotton-grass, bog-moss, etc., at 1,250-2,000 feet. 
3. Woodland: Birch, pine, oak, ash, and beech woods. 
4. Lowland alluvial: Aquatic and sub-aquatic associations of 
ponds, bogs, and swamps. 
5. Maritime: Found on dunes, dune hollows, mudflats, and rocky 
headlands. 
