154 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS 



lieves that a "feeling of superiority" is a contributing factor to such a 

 certain lack of interest in crops problems on the part of some botanists. 

 Perhaps it is not impertinent to ask the question, "What is the matter 

 with agronomists specializing in crop production?" If the botanists 

 are somewhat at fault, so are the agronomists. Good botanical train- 

 ing has been available to them, but few have sought such equipment 

 as botany can give. It must be admitted that both groups are at fault, 

 and as a result, fundamental investigations in crops are few and are 

 progressing slowly. We are almost at a standstill. We seem to be 

 yet in the variety testing stage in the "cut and try" epoch. 



The contributions of chemistry have been so numerous and im- 

 portant that this has been referred to as the chemical age. The ap- 

 plications furnished agriculture are fundamentally important and are 

 recognized as such, but we believe chemistry cannot solve our crop 

 production problems unaided. It appears now that a newer plant 

 physiology, quantitative in nature, is destined to enter the field of 

 action along with chemistry, and from this combination much is to be 

 expected. 



In Illinois live two corn breeders of national reputation. I 

 might, without the feeling of contradiction, say international reputa- 

 tion. Only a fortnight ago, the older of them was heard to say, "I 

 have studied corn breeding for thirty years and I am only in the 

 A-B-C class." The other has remarked that "after nine years of pa- 

 tient endeavor, I have little to say because my results seem to be so 

 difficult of interpretation." These statements lead us to the firm 

 belief that the trouble lies in the fact that our botanical truths are 

 not sufficient to furnish a foundation on which to build breeding op- 

 erations. 



If agronomy is to occupy the important station is should, it must 

 ally itself to the science that is basic in the interpretation of plant 

 function ; namely, plant physiology. By establishing the closest re- 

 lationship among the intricate and basic problems concerning the in- 

 fluence of the agricultural environment on plant functions, and 

 through these on crop production, much will be accomplished. 



WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BASIC PROBLEMS OF CROP PRODUCTION? 



So far as crop production is concerned, what are some of its basic 

 problems? What contributions can plant physiology make? 



Before attempting to answer these questions, it will be well to 

 study briefly the general agricultural features of our state. From 

 north to south, the length of the state is 385 miles, which means, of 



