A plea is frequently made by lovers or amateur students of plants for the use of so-called common (or vernacular) names for our species. Sometimes it is voiced also by secondary school teachers of botany, and last year it was included in one of the official reports of this Academy. The writer has received a number of written and verbal complaints aimed at the use of scientific names only, in papers treating of the plants of our state, and every other botanist in the state undoubtedly has had similar experience. In view of these circumstances it seems worthwhile to note some of the difficulties which lie in the way of the general use of common names
