118 PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS. 
large amount of printed matter which is at present practically 
useless. I have very little doubt that another good effect of 
arranging and cataloguing our library would be to encourage its 
increase by donations of books from our members; while the 
existence of a library of reference available for research would 
lead to the candidature of new members for enrolment. I am 
unwilling to test your patience much further, but I cannot let pass 
this opportunity of adverting to a matter upon which I feel warmly 
and upon which I must not hesitate again to speak in plain terms, 
as I have both spoken and written before on various occasions. 
This colony enjoys the unenviable pre-eminence of being the only 
one with self-government in the Australasian group which does 
nothing systematic to foster, by teaching, the numerous industries 
which our marvellous range of soil and climate is capable of 
calling into existence. New South Wales, Victoria, South Aus- 
tralia, Tasmania, New Zealand, have each among their public 
servants men combining these qualifications of science and 
practical knowledge which, in matters affecting the cultivation of 
the soil, are of late years—owing chiefly to the example of Kew— 
so often to be found in the same individual, and which when 
rightly directed afford such material aid to the tarmer and the 
gardener in developing to their fullest extent the capabilities of 
soil and climate. The State in India and the Governments of 
some of the small Crown colonies relegate to the control of men 
combining high scientific attainments with the knowledge of a 
trained gardener, the whole of the State expenditure on gardens. 
There are no industries so calculated to increase the wealth of a 
young country as those involved in the development of the 
capabilities of the soil; and if this be admitted it is wonderful 
that the interests of those engaging in these industries should have 
been so neglected. It appears to have been thought that the duty 
of the State was performed by providing facilities for obtaining 
land, whereas in fact it had only then commenced. Mining has 
long had a State department to itself, with a staff of geological 
surveyors, grants to mining museums, diamond drills, and 
encouragement and assistance of all kinds ; and yet as a source of 
national wealth mining is not to be compared in importance to the 
cultivation of the soil. In the one case the mineral is extracted 
and there is an end of the value of the land ; but the intelligent 
and well directed cultivation of the soil is a practically inexhaust- 
ible mine of wealth. I do not hesitate to affirm that the time has 
long since come when agriculture and horticulture should have 
the advantage of State supervision and advice. Iam not trenching 
upon the realms of politics in saying that I think this would be 
