Lecture 1. 



A SURVEY OF PROBLEMS OF PLANT 

 NUTRITION 



Introduction : — I deem it an honor as well as a 

 great pleasure to receive the invitation to deliver 

 these lectures at an institution that has made such 

 distinguished contributions to plant science. I am 

 sure that the only reason you have thought that my 

 discussions could bring you any profit is that I happen 

 to be a member of a group of research workers who 

 have sought over many years to increase our knowl- 

 edge of the nutrition of plants. There is implied in 

 this statement recognition of an essential condition 

 of satisfactory progress in the field of study of Plant 

 Nutrition, if this term is used in the wide sense I 

 wish to give it for my present purpose. This con- 

 dition is the uniting together, although not according 

 to any rigid pattern, of persons of varied technical 

 interests, in a research program that has a common 

 objective. The reasons why this concerting of effort 

 and coordination of experience in the study of Plant 

 Nutrition is so needful will, I hope, emerge from my 

 series of lectures. 



Subjects pertaining to Plant Nutrition have not, 

 I understand, been previously presented here in a 

 lectureship like the one I now occupy and there may 

 be found, therefore, some reason for a very brief 

 outlook at the nature of the system that confronts the 

 student of Plant Nutrition. I doubt that there exists 

 in any other system presented for scientific or prac- 



