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“What we mean by ‘Our Native Flora’”
In this 1914 speech to the Vancouver Chamber of Mines, John Davidson explains the value of increasing British Columbians’ knowledge about their province’s botany and natural history. Read Davidson’s definition of native flora as well as his suggestions for using knowledge of botany to make predictions about an area’s landscapes and geology.
The following text is a faithful and precise transcription of the original text and includes errors in spelling, grammar or punctuation present in the original.
LECTURE DELIVERED TO THE VANCOUVER CHAMBER OF MINES
“What we mean by ‘Our Native Flora’”
J. Davidson, F.L.S., F.B.S.E.,
Botanist to the Government of British Columbia
2nd February, 1914
Before commencing my lecture allow me to thank you for the honour you have done me in asking me to address your members on the subject of the Flora of British Columbia.
Although much of the prosperity of our Province can be traced to the wealth of its Flora, particularly those plants which form our forests, its systematic study has been practically neglected, except for the work of a few indefatigable enthusiasts who have not been wholly occupied in the search for dollars and cents.
I think one is safe in saying that the Fauna of the Province is better known than the Flora. This must not be interpreted as meaning that our knowledge of the Fauna is complete, the two are so closely related, that a fuller knowledge of the one will help us to a fuller knowledge of the other.
As we in British Columbia have a great field for botanical research, it gives me great pleasure to have this opportunity of giving you a glimpse of some of the work to be done, in the hope that others may share the interest and pleasure which is found in making useful observations in the field, and thus become amateur botanists.
The mere mention of the word “Botanist” is sufficient to conjure up in some people’s minds, the picture of an odd looking man with long unkempt hair - or no hair at all, with long nails, and a long face, his jacket far to short, and his trousers too long to be called knickerbockers, a man who could spend an hour looking at a plant and finally lay it aside, giving it a name which none but a perfectly sober man could pronounce.
People who associate such a picture with the modern botanist, must have been asleep for 50 years. Now-a-days we find our children taught botany in schools, our young men, and young women, our professional and business men all taking an active interest in some branch of this fascinating subject. Even in Vancouver we find many who are desirous of doing something to further our knowledge of the native Flora, and I am hopeful that I shall make the acquaintance of a few more enthusiasts tonight.