48 PRESIDENTIAL ADDRE.'iS. — SECTION C. 



preceded it. Nevertheless, the general lines upon which the 

 establishment of a State Garden of the nature indicated above 

 should proceed in South Africa are. I think, fairly clearly 

 indicated. We are dealing with a vast area which, by differ- 

 ences of latitude, altitude and rainfall, is naturally divided into 

 a number of regions differing from one another in the condi- 

 tions which they impose upon the plants inhabiting them. Each 

 of these has its problems, some peculiar to it, others of more 

 general occurrence; the same problem appearing in more than 

 one region will frequently demand more than one solution. 

 Therefore, quite apart from mere geographical considerations, 

 it is obvious that a single garden, however large and well- 

 equipped, will not serve the whole of South Africa. The 

 economic work which has to be done makes it necessary that 

 each of these regions should possess at least one experimental 

 garden. The compilation of a complete list of these will only 

 be possible when we have gained experience which is not avail- 

 able at present. On quite general grounds, however, it would 

 appear that the following list of experimental gardens includes 

 none that should be dispensed with. 



Natal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I 



Native Territories of the Cape Province . . . . . . i 



Albany- 

 Western Province (Cape) . . 

 Namaqualand 

 Karoo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i 



Orange Free State . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i 



Bechuanaland or Griqualand West . . . . . . . . i 



Transvaal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 



The size and equipment of each of these would be determined 

 ty the economic requirements of the region in which it is 

 situated. The gardener in charge, not necessarilv in 

 all cases a white man, would be trained at the central 

 establishment from which his work would be controlled and 

 directed. The structural equipment in each case would include 

 accommodation for at least one visiting member of the Scientific 

 Staff, as well as for a minimum or more of laboratory work. 

 Five of those mentioned in the list given above would probably 

 be situated where no public garden exists at present ; these 

 would practically confine themselves to experimental cultiva- 

 tion mainly of an economic character and. apart from this, 

 horticulture would ha^'dly come within the sphere of their 

 operations. Where, however, the garden lies within an area 

 possessing a sufficiently concentrated white population, its 

 functions would naturally be more extended. In these cases 

 public gardens are already in existence, and might perhaps 

 render the establishment of new ones unnecessary. These 

 institutions are already doing important work under the control 

 of municipalities or of other public bodies and upon this no one 

 would desire to entrench. On the contrary, it would be the 

 natural policy of a National Garden to encourage and assist 

 them in every possible way. They would find it to their ad- 

 vantage to co-operate as far as possible with a central institu- 

 tion and, where desirable, an extension of their activities in 



