rh ah ba fs 
\s ‘yt ‘ * 
: 
Of 
by 
ey 
r] 
54 ILLINOIS ACADEMY OF SCIENCE 
I have included this statement on the conditions in agri- 
culture because as Dr. Gager recently said, “Most botanists 
have never been able to shake off the superstition that some- 
how or other the successful growing of crops is in part at least 
a botanical problem.” 
Suppose we turn our attention from applied botany very 
briefly to the pure science side of the subject without which 
there could be no applied science worthy of the name. Suppose 
we were to select some of the big and vital things which have 
been done recently in plant physiology or morphology, in 
taxonomy or in ecology, in cytology or evolution, and go before 
the public to find out what is known in these fields of plant 
science. We should learn not only that the so-called educated 
public knows nothing of the facts, but also that the individuals 
are extremely scarce who know that the field of botanical en- 
deavor has become so large as to include any such subdivision 
of subject matter. 
The facts which I am endeavoring to emphasize are: (1) 
that there is a large stock of extremely valuable knowledge in 
the botanical storehouse. Knowledge which has as many 
points of contact with the lives and practices of the people who 
compose the average community as can be established by any 
of the fundamental sciences. It is knowledge which applies 
directly to sanitation and maintenance of health, to the pro- 
duction and preservation of foods, and to increased efficiency 
wherever there is involved an intelligent control over plant life 
or plant products. (2) Just as obvious as the preceding and to 
those of us interested in public education equal to it in impor- 
tance is the fact that there is but a very small portion of this 
knowledge that is being used by the people to whom it is most 
applicable and by whom the funds have been contributed which 
has made it available. Through the lack of judicious advertis- 
ing and efficient salesmanship there is but little public dmeand 
for our goods and our most valuable stock is lying stored in the 
libraries unused. 
Live contact has not been made between the research labora- 
tory and the public mind. As a result the current which should 
transport the new knowledge to all the people and which 
sh 
¥ rife 
Wen: 
Ringe 
