Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-08-19

A. D.
which have had a very large demand. His
'Manual of the Apiary" has appeared in many
editions. The department of entomology over
which he presides takes high rank. The col
iections and equipment are among the frs. in
the country.
VICE PRESIDENT CoULTERs ADDRESS.
The address of Vice President Coulter at the
afternoon session was on the theme of "The
Future of Systematic Botany" It was a de-
parture from the custom of presenting either
an interesting bit of research or a summarized
view OF information concerning some subject.
The speaker invited the attention of the section
to an ancient department of work. The an
cient history of systematic botany is too well
D known, he said. to need even brief repetition,
but the one desire which runs with increasing
force through it all is to reach eventually a
natural system of classification. At first, from
necessity, plants were simply systematically
pigeon-holed for future reference, and those
who could thus dispose of plants were known
as systematic botanists,' an appellation
proper enough, but one unfortunately not
having sufficiently outgrown its original appli-
cation. The unfortunate result of this early
necessity of so.rigidly systematizing facts and
thus rendering them accessible was to make
the pigeon holes as permanent as the facts they
were intended temporarily to contain.
As soon as knowledge justified the attempt
natural systems Of classification began to be
proposed; and one natural arrangement has
succeeded another, from that day to this, until
III those of today We have presented simply
what the earliest contained, viz, the expression
of mans knowledge of affinity, the difference
being slowly diminishing amount Of artificial
padding.
Systematic botany as formerly understood.
has probably done all that it could. unaided in
the natural arrangement of plants 1t could
indefinitely jugsle with sequences and nomen-
claturc, but this is of secondary Importance
when the real purpose of systematic botany is
considered R1f left I'D
and group OF new departments was made
possible by the microscope and the unexampled
progress OF powers and manipulate ton. The
study OF the cell and of nascent and mature or
Sans, and the recognition of plants as living
things that are the resultant of the interplay of
internal and external forces, have reyivitied
the ancient mummy called botany, and have
made it living thing, capable of endless de-
velopment.
Some one has said that 1.-The highest reach of
the human mind is a natural systen of classfi-
cation. This simply means that when the re-
suits OF al departments of botanical work are
well in hand, then the systematists will be in q
position to put on sure foundation the struc-
ture they have always been planning. The
real systematic botany, therefore is TO sum I'M
and utilize the results of all other departments
and its work is well-nigh all in the future. 1t
Is bound to be the last expression of human
thought with reference to plant life, Just as it
was the first The systematic botany which
utais with StuttlC CudrdcttTb anu recognizes
the fact that every plant is q living thing with
history and all degrees of cOnsanguinity,
and that the final fcrGl Of every natural classi-
hcation must be to approximate to the order
OF descent Is i'll its early in fancy.
Inc position then taken by the speaker was
that for the systematists of today and of the
future there must be three distinct lines of
work, related to each other in natural sequence
In the order presented, and each turning over
Its completed product to the next
!. THE COLLECTION AND DESCRIPTION OF PLANTS.
This preliminary phase of systematic botany
is that which most frequently stands for the
whole in the popular mind. The speaker ex-
planned the disrepute into which it seems to
nave fallen IN certain scientific quarters by the
fact that this popular impression was resented.
, be spoke OF the inspiring nature of the pursuit
after new species and that it sometimes became
almost MANN or too attractive to the incom-
petent But even this ancient kind of work
sadly needs improvement. Many things be-
sides the mere sporadic collection and record
Ing OF species should be included as legitimately
belonging to this line of research. plant is
too often text without any context and is thus
| robbed OF much OF its Significance. Nothing
seems more unsystematic than field work in
systematic botany. All information that can
be obtained in the field concerning species ia
the province OF the collector to procure and Of
the taxonomist to record. The speaker protested
against the search for species as for diamonds
as things solely valuable in themselves
apart from their surroundings, and he urged
the conversion ofcollecting trips into biological
surveys. He expressed great gratitude to the
noble army OF seif-denying pioneer collectors,
but claimed that the time had now come when
the same amount of labor could be expended to
better advantage, and that a race of field works
must be trained who shall follow their pro-
fession as distinctly and scientifically as the
race of topographers. In this center Of public
scientific work In which we have met, devoted
to obtaining tho largest amount of information
in regard to our material possessions, aud with
means commensurate with the largest splans, 1t
| seems an appropriate thing to urge q thor
oughly equipped system Of biological suryeys
This subject is not new one here, and steps
have already been taken to organize some
work OF this kind, but desire to voice the
| Reufim0nt of fhia aacfiou in con,uc.c<3;u. III