THE CHOOSING OF A PROBLEM FOR RESEARCH 

 IN PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 



BURTON EDWARD LIVINGSTON 



The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Md. 



The increasing number of botanical students who are inclined 

 toward the physiological aspects of the subject, and the clearness 

 with which present conditions seem to indicate the possibility of 

 many sided success for such students, have impressed upon the 

 writer the idea that plant physiology is at the present time in a 

 stage of its development which is perhaps more critical than any 

 through which the science has passed. That the immediate future 

 will show a great increase in the number of men whose main line 

 of activity "lies in the field of plant dynamics is clearly augured by 

 the present status of this line of study. The advance of a science 

 is always closely linked with its application in the arts, and the 

 awakening of many minds to the fundamental importance of the 

 content of plant physiology in agriculture and forestry is rapidly 

 taking, or has already taken place. This may explain the in- 

 creased demand for physiologically trained men, a demand which, 

 during the past few years has quickly and almost suddenly out- 

 stripped the supply. At any rate, the increased demand is a 

 fact, and a correspondingly increased supply is practically as- 

 sured. But it takes many years to make a competent physiol- 

 ogist, even in a restricted field of this broad subject, and competi- 

 tion for the most desirable positions in American institutions 

 seems not likely soon to become very keen. Under these condi- 

 tions many of the younger students of plants, and apparently also 

 a goodly number who have made their start in chemistry, are 

 turning their attention to plant physiology as a promising field 



for a life-work. 



73 



THE PLANT WORLD, VOL. 15, NO. 4, APRIL 1912 



