SOME FACTORS IN RESEARCH 279 



metabolism (in the broadest sense) and life relations offer endless 

 possibilities in research. 



I will not enter at this time into a comprehensive discussion of 

 the research relations of physiology to other fundamental and 

 applied sciences, but will only use a few instances of such contact 

 in the hope of establishing a broad basis for the subject — with 

 the feeling that such breadth is always a dominant factor in a 

 wholesome, well-rounded concept of research. The various 

 phases of research in any general field are ultimately so inter- 

 related that any great and consistent progress in a narrow sec- 

 tion of the field is — on the whole — dependent upon general 

 progress in the entire field. 



It is practically possible to dissociate biological chemistry and 

 physiological chemistry from physiology, because animal physi- 

 ology has in the past restricted itself more or less definitely on 

 account of the complex correlations in the animal body. Refer- 

 ring to plants alone, however, there would be little or no reason 

 for the use of the term physiology if we dissociate it from the 

 biochemical aspects. Without their biochemical bearing what 

 would be left of metabolism and enzyme action, of photosynthe- 

 sis, permeability, and toxic action, to mention only a few divisions 

 of this subject? Imagine at this time, if one can, the stimulus 

 to research in a plant physiology including only the physical and 

 — let us call it — "correlation" problems. Later when we shall 

 have bio-physics (and there have always existed individual bio- 

 physicists) — then plant physiology would be a " miscellaneous" 

 drawer in which to deposit for safe keeping the little known and 

 unclassifiable, the unclaimed and borderland problems, the kicks 

 and the contentions. 



Here and there horticulture has accomplished something in 

 research, but on the whole the organizations of modern horticul- 

 tural departments have been failures in accomplishing real hor- 

 ticultural research. This, however, is as might be expected. 

 Practical gardens and orchards were sown, and garden and orchard 

 practice have been reaped. Horticulture touches many sciences 

 (it also effectively touches legislatures) and thereby offers in- 

 numerable research opportunities and great possibilities in equip- 



