Ze 
Research During 1931 
It would, no doubt, be misleading to say that the important thing 
about research is not the results of it but the continuation of it; 
and yet there is an element of truth in that assertion, If the 
modern world, called upon to choose between being deprived of 
the results of research which we all enjoy today and being deprived 
of the spirit of research, were to choose the former the world 
would come to an intellectual standstill that would make the Dark 
Ages seem like a blinding light. The really indispensable condition 
for progress is the spirit of inquiry. Tf modern civilization is in 
any respect superior to that of classic Greece, it is not because we 
have radio, aeroplanes, serums, improved vegetables, but because 
of the encouragement and diffusion among all the people of the 
attitude of mind that led to the invention of these things and the 
discovery of the fundamental principles that underlie t 
“What we know is but little, what we do not know is immense.’ 
These were the dying words of Laplace. “ [hope we are now learn- 
ing how to appreciate in a finite way a really infinite creation, eve; 
if we actually have to do it by infinitely small increments,” 
Dr. W. R. Whitney in his Sigma Ni address in 1928. How dif- 
ferent is this outlook of the scientist from that of a certain botanic 
earden trustee (now deceased) who once said to his director ; 
“Tf we know we can never find it all out, why try?” But one 
of the gems of psychological research is the discovery that under 
fs 
— 
— 
mel 
Weim. 
’ 
~ 
said 
the guise of giving a reason for their opimons many people are 
only trying to rationalize them! 
These comments were stimulated by the inquiry of a (non- 
resident in Brooklyn) contributor of funds who appeared to expect, 
at the end of one year, a volume of published results from a re- 
search project that involves the growing and subsequent hy- 
bridizing of plants that do not flower for two years after planting. 
Important and convincing as are the results of both pure and 
applied research, it is still one of the difficult and sometimes dis- 
couraging problems of the scientist to make the layman, who must 
finance it, understand it. The writer knew a man who provided 
for this Botanic Garden in his will with the restriction that none 
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of the bequest should be used “ for any experimenting 
