MORE PLANTS FOR MAN 507 



Such surveys as have been made have yielded without exception something 

 of economic importance, even though often in a direction not expected from 

 the objectives of the research. It is always difficult to comprehend why an 

 industrial giant like the United States, so dependent for its well-being on the 

 products of the green world, has until now failed to support adequately scien- 

 tific research in this field. 



Administrators are accustomed to requests for the development of new 

 varieties of economic plants to alleviate emergencies of one kind or another. 

 The need is obvious. The necessities of war in respect to strategic plant mate- 

 rial are likewise understandable, but the tremendous benefits that can be ob- 

 tained from the objectives of basic research on new, potentially useful species 

 seem to be difficult to comprehend. Nowadays few would argue against the 

 tremendous costs of atom-smashing equipment. Not so many years ago re- 

 quests for such would have received scant public consideration. Research on 

 the potential utility of the great bulk of the world's plant population is where 

 atomic research was twenty-five years ago. It is hoped that botanical scien- 

 tists in general and economic botanists in particular can be more articulate 

 in describing the needs and benefits of this type of research in relation to its 

 benefits to mankind. If the objectives are comprehensible, financial and ad- 

 ministrative support eventually will be found. 



