20 THE DEVELOPMENT OF BOTANY 



solely in the parasites inducing disease, danicntal in connection with some im- 

 discovering them and investigating portant practice. In the older days, 

 their life histories, but really paid little botany was regarded as the most im- 

 attention to the patient whose diseased practical of all the sciences. It was 

 condition belonged to physiology. really regarded as a pastime rather than 

 Finally, the last segregate, which a profession. The outstanding illustra- 

 really began with the present century, tion, of course, is the increasing atten- 

 was plant breeding, which in its scien- tion given to the problems that undcr- 

 tifie aspects is known as genetics. As in lie agriculture; but there are many other 

 the case of the other segregates, breed- practices also which are bedded in 

 ing was carried on with most complex botanical investigation. It is so strong 

 material, with little knowledge or ap- at present that I do not believe it will 

 preciation of the structures involved. ever subside, but it should be under- 

 All of these phases of botany de- stood. Tlie great objective of research, 

 veloped independently. As a result, not of course, is to extend the boundaries 

 only were the phases of botany segre- of knowledge. The tendency to which 

 gated, but the botanists also. Taxono- I refer merely means that experience 

 mists, morphologists, physiologists and developed in connection with an im- 

 ecologists represented distinct and too portant pracrice has suggested funda- 

 often rival groups. The prominent ad- mental problems. In fact, among our 

 vantage of this segregation of subjects most fundamental problems are those 

 was the development of the technique that have been suggested by experience, 

 of each field. One had to be a compara- It must be confessed that certain 

 tively narrow specialist to develop botanists still resent the inclusion of 

 technique to its limit. The disadvan- what they call practical problems 

 tage of the segregation of botanists was among our research problems. It is very 

 the lack of cooperation. Taxonomists common to distinguish the two groups 

 did not know morphology or physiol- of problems as pure and applied sci- 

 ogy. Morphologists cared nothing ence. The fact is that pure science is 

 about either; and so on down the list often immensely practical, and that 

 of segregates. This segregation was for applied science is often very pure sci- 

 a time very complete, so that the inter- ence. Between the two there is no 

 ests of one group would not have been dividing line. Practical problems are 

 affected if none of the other groups not a detriment to botanical science, 

 had existed. This may be called the In fact they incidentally strengthen its 

 monastic phase of botany. claim on public interest as a science 

 The transformarion of botany from that must be promoted. It will develop 

 a list of segregates to a synthesis of all a far greater opportunity for research 

 the sciences was hastened by our ex- than has been possible heretofore, 

 perience during the First World War. A second feature that characterizes 

 In that emergency every phase of botany today, and which I regard as 

 botany was called upon to contribute more important than the preceding 

 information. It was a revelation to dis- feature, is the increasing realization of 

 cover that every phase proved to be the fact that botanical problems are 

 useful. synthetic. Around each bit of investiga- 

 As a natural result of our experi- tion, with its single point of view and 

 ences in two world wars and of the single method of attack, there is de- 

 importance of our agriculture, one of veloping a perspective of other points 

 the features of botanical research to- of view and other methods of attack, 

 day is to attack problems that are fun- We realize now that plants are syn- 



