22 DR. E. p. PHILLIPS 



many problems concerned. It appears to be fairly certain 

 that the veld in many parts of South Africa is 

 deteriorating; this affects us as a nation, so that it be- 

 comes imperative to know what is happening in these 

 cases. It is a problem primarily for the botanist and 

 until he has investigated the causes which bring on these 

 changes no remedy can be suggested. Many other pro- 

 blems connected with the veld, such as grass-burning, 

 overstocking, poisoning, the value of native plants and 

 grasses as stock food all await and demand the aid of 

 Botanical Science. 



T have indicated above the direct practical importance 

 botanical science is and may be to mankind, but, 

 botanical investigations which are undertaken with no 

 utilitarian object in view should not be looked down upon, 

 on the other hand they should receive every encourage- 

 ment. As the late Dr. H. H. W. Pearson wrote *' Research 

 is, or should be, undertaken with the single object of dis- 

 covering truth, regardless of the consequences. These how- 

 ever, may at any time assume a practical and economic 

 value which no erne bas been less inclined to expect than 

 the investigator himself ". Dr. L. Cockayne also remarks 

 ^' There is hardly any ecological research, however non- 

 utilitarian it may seem, which is not dealing with actual 

 or potential farm lands. Thus few non-economic eco- 

 logical studies lack entirely tbe economic asjject. Agri- 

 culture, however, does not depend upon the slow process 

 of nature. If tlie reactions of a jjlant to the outer world 

 be sufficiently known, it should be possible to so change 

 the conditions of its environment that its frequency in 

 an association could be so increased or decreased as its 

 agricultural value may suggest '\ 



In the Kew Bulletin for 1<S97 is a translation of an 

 extract which appeared in the 'fournal des Dehais for 

 March 20th. 1897 to the effect "that a nation that 

 desires to form colonies will find that the conquering 

 of the territory is hardly the beginning of her task. The 

 resources of the country must be studied and appraised, 



