Plants from Our Standpoint 5 



Digestion, assimilation, growth, and reproduction are carried on 

 by similar chemical and physical processes. As will be brought 

 out more fully later, all the processes of both plants and animals 

 depend upon the properties and activities of cells which are very 

 much alike in the two groups. 



Need for scientific study of plants. The profitable cultivation 

 of plants for food, fiber, timber, and ornamental purposes, and the 

 control of plant and animal diseases, depend primarily on our 

 knowledge of the structures, products, and processes of the par- 

 ticular plants involved. Only a beginning has been made in the 

 appKcation of science to the industry of plant production. 



For centuries agricultural practices have depended almost en- 

 tirely on observation, experience, and tradition. Only recently 

 has it been possible to explain on a scientific basis many of the 

 principles underlying agricultural practice, and many problems of 

 plant growing still await solution. The production of increased 

 yields of crops per acre, the improvement in the quality and 

 variety of the products, and the prevention of the ever increasing 

 losses from diseases — in fact, the future development of agri- 

 culture and of all industries dependent upon plant products 

 — will be based on scientific experiments with plants. For 

 this development a better understanding of the laws of inherit- 

 ance is fundamental. In addition, we must have clear insight 

 into the effects of the en\ironment on plant processes and 

 structures. 



The need for conserving plant resources. With the growth 

 of population the conservation of our natural plant resources and 

 the proper utilization of our lands for forestry and agricultural 

 purposes becomes increasingly important. The United States 

 started with a huge bank account of natural forest resources, 

 much of which has now been dissipated. Every year we are using 

 timber at a rate greatly in excess of the annual growth of all trees 

 on our forest land. The future outcome of this system of timber 

 destruction is clear. To formulate wise plans for the better use 



