64 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 



money in the agricultural institutions of the land, that so little has 

 been done to establish and maintain comprehensive plantations of 

 economic plants. Now that the amelioration of plants is a part of 

 the work of agricultural colleges and stations it would seem that 

 the establishment of such gardens is imperative. True, there are 

 botanic gardens, but the museum idea is dominant in most of them 

 — they contain the curiosities of the vegetable kingdom, or they 

 show the ornamental and beautiful, or they are used for purposes 

 of instruction. We need agricultural gardens in which agricultural 

 plants are dominant rather than recessive. 



There is another difficulty quite as detrimental to progress as 

 inability to obtain material. It is the lack of trustworthy informa- 

 tion in regard to economic plants. Quite as necessary as agricul- 

 tural gardens is an agricultural botany. In this botany must be 

 set forth, besides descriptions of species, the habitat, the migrations, 

 the geographical relations to other plants, the changes that have 

 occurred, how the plant is affected by man-given environment, and 

 all similar data. Physiological facts regarding germination, 

 leafing, flowering and fruiting must be given. The production of 

 such a book is a consummation devoutly to be wished. 



Lastly, material and books do not create. The man has not 

 been lost sight of, but I should have to set forth his temper and 

 training too hurriedly even if I could properly conceive them. But 

 from the beginning to the end of this new shaping of food crops, 

 the individual man trained for the work will be dominant. The 

 work to be done, however, is so vast that we can not make an 

 appreciable showing unless the task be divided among a great 

 number of workers. Those who will do most are such as can con- 

 centrate on particular problems the sifted experience and knowl- 

 edge of the world. Many may sow, but only the strong can garner. 



In conclusion, I must end as I began by calling attention to the 

 great probability of a near-at-hand deficiency of food. I must 

 again urge the importance of making use of every means of increas- 

 ing the supply. I have tried to call attention to the desirability of 

 growing a greater number of food-plants as one of the means. Not 

 to attempt to develop and utilize to its highest efficiency the vast 

 wealth of material in the plant-kingdom for the world's food is im- 

 providence and is a reckless ignoring of splendid opportimities to in- 

 crease the number of food-crops and thereby the world's food supply. 



