I.MrORTANCE OF STATE HERBARIUM '21 



II nmsi not he iiifeired, however, from llie above 

 •jjroupinL' (liMt these, sub-divisions are complete in them- 

 selves: llu'.v are interflei)endent and in the solution of 

 any botanical i)roblem rlie aid of one or more of them 

 may havi* to be sought. In the same way as the various 

 branches of Botany are dependent on one another, so 

 are the various Sciences. As the Botanist has to seek 

 the co-ojieration of tlie Tliemist, the Physiologist the 

 Zoologist and the Bacteriologist, so have these Sciences 

 need of botanical assistance in many problems which 

 confrcmt them. 



The Valtti-: of Botanical Science. 



The fact that the very existence of man on the earth is 

 dependent on the vegetation hardly needs any proof and 

 yet we are apt to lose sight of this fact. Those of us 

 who live in towns and are only accustomed to be served 

 with the linished articles of everyday use — our food, 

 clothing, etc., hardly ever stop to realise the sjources 

 from w^hich these are derived. 



Directly or indirectly we all live on the products of 

 plants and the subject of Economic Botany therefore 

 becomes of prime importance. From various plants we 

 obtain our gums, resins, rubber, dyes, fibres, drugs, 

 timber, foods, etc., and the further investigation of 

 sources of supph^ is a matter of moment. This work is 

 being carried on in all progressive countries of the 

 world. New plants are being constantly discovered which 

 yield some useful product, they are introduced into 

 cultivation and mankind benefits. The number of such 

 plants is so large that it would be out of place to give a 

 list of them here. 



Not only are we dependent directly upon certain plants, 

 but indirectly the vegetation of a pastoral country affects 

 us, as the quality and quantity of our milk, butter and 

 meat is affected by the state of the pasture. Here again 

 Botanical Science must be relied upon for solving the 



