OcToBER 9, 1902] 
organs. It is produced when the air is heavily charged with 
moisture and the temperature high, conditions of common 
occurrence in forcing houses. The third is an attenuated form 
intermediate between the other two. It bears gonidia like those 
of the first, and in addition others which germinate without 
falling off the parent plant and elongate into long threads. 
Many plants can bear the invasion of this plant without suffering 
greatly, though it cannot be called harmless. It occurs chiefly 
when a high temperature is associated with a considerable 
amount of moisture in the air. . 
It is not difficult to cultivate this attenuated form of the 
Botrytis in sterilised soil. Beauverie describes one experiment 
made with it which is very striking. Damp earth was sterilised 
in a Petri dish of large surface, sown with spores of the 
Botrytis and kept at a temperature of about 16° C. After 
three days, the surface of the dish was covered with a loose 
mycelium, which bore numerous gonidiophores. The fungus 
was allowed to grow for some time under these conditions, and 
the infected earth was then transferred to fresh pots in which 
were placed cuttings of begonias. The plants grew well and 
were not sensibly affected by the presence of the fungus in the 
substratum or in its surface. Placed subsequently in conditions 
which were eminently suitable to the development of the 
parasitic form, they resisted its action perfectly, though control 
plants which had not been cultivated in the ground infected by 
the attenuated form were killed very quickly. From _ their 
experiments the authors claim to have shown that the form of 
Botrytis cinerea intermediate between the gonidial and the 
eeu form can make plants immune to the attacks of the 
atter. 
Researches of a somewhat kindred nature dealing with the 
infection of particular plants by specific fungi have been com- 
municated recently to this Section by Prof. Marshall Ward in 
his paper read last year on the Bromes and their brown rust. 
They brought to light many very important facts connected 
with the question of adaptive parasitism and immunity. Few 
questions in vegetable physiology can compare in economic 
importance with these when we think of their possible develop- 
ment in relation to agriculture. 
I have now somewhat hurriedly surveyed certain parts of the 
field of vegetable physiology. It has been impossible in an 
Address like this to do more than indicate what seem to me 
some of the more important problems awaiting investigation. 
May we hope that all such work will be vigorously conducted, 
but that the conclusions reached will be scrutinised with the 
greatest care and subjected to repeated examination? Great 
hindrances to the advance of the science resulted from dogmatic 
assertions made by eminent men in the past, their personal 
influence having led to their conclusions, not altogether accurate, 
being nevertheless almost universally accepted. Many years 
subsequently these conclusions have needed re-examination, the 
result being the destruction of a whole fabric that had been 
reared upon this unworthy foundation. I may close, as I began, 
by an appeal to the younger school of botanists to take some of 
this work in‘hand, and by assiduous and critical experiment and 
observation to contribute to the solution of the problems pres- 
sing upon us in this field. 
SECTION L. 
EDUCATIONAL SCIENCE. 
OPENING ADDRESS BY PRorF. HENRY E. ARMSTRONG, LL.D., 
Pu.D., V.P.R.S., PRESIDENT OF THE SECTION. 
THE last meeting of the British Association at Belfast was 
presided over by Prof. Tyndall, one of whose most memor- 
able discourses was that delivered at Liverpool in 1870 on ‘‘ The 
Scientific Use of the Imagination.” In the course of his 
Address, the President could point out that ‘science had already 
to some extent leavened the world,” and abundant proof has 
since been given that he was right in claiming that ‘it will 
leaven it more and more.” Nevertheless, if we consider the 
leavening effect which science has had on the public mind, it is 
impossible to deny that progress is being made in this direction 
at a woefully slow rate, in no way proportionate to the growth 
of knowledge or to the recognised usefulness of the many dis- 
coveries which are the outcome of scientific investigation. 
Science is still treated by society as a rich farvenu all the world 
over, and is at most invited to its feasts, but not incorporated, 
as it should be, with the domestic life of the people. 
NO. 1719, VOL. 66] 
WA TURE 
589 
Complaint has long been rife that the British are indifferent 
as a people even to things which are of manifest importance, 
and which asa nation of business men they might be expected 
to value. It would certainly seem that we are all too forgetful 
of Tyndall’s warning that ‘‘ every system which would escape 
the fate of an organism too rigid to adjust itself to its environ- 
ment must be plastic to the extent that the growth of know- 
ledge demands.” As our President said a full quarter of a 
| century ago, ‘‘ when this truth has been thoroughly taken in, 
rigidity will be relaxed, things not deemed essential will be 
dropped, and elements now rejected will be assimilated. The 
lifting of the life is the essential point, and as long as dogmatism, 
fanaticism and intolerance are kept out, various modes of lever- 
age may be employed to raise life to a higher level.” 
But how are we to become plastic to the extent that the 
growth of knowledge demands, in order that rigidity may be 
relaxed, that conservatism may give way to a wise spirit of 
advance? Probably there is no more important question the 
nation can ask at the present time ; for that we are wanting in 
plasticity is proved to demonstration. Does not the shade of 
our former President stand before us and solemnly give answer : 
‘* By the cultivation and exercise of imaginative power—by the 
scientific use of the imagination” ; for in these days are we not 
indeeda people ‘‘of little faith ” ?, There would seem, in fact, to be 
clear evidence, if not of destruction, at least of impairment, of 
imaginative power under modern conditions—that the tendency 
of education is to kill rather than to develop the very power on 
which the progress of the world depends. A dearth of imagin- 
ative power is strikingly apparent in art, in literature, in music, 
| in science, in public taste generally, the prevailing tendency 
| and that plasticity of mind is a rare attitude. 
being to imitate rather than to originate and individualise. 
Commentators and critics of sorts abound, but these rarely dis- 
play any catholicity of judgment. Leaders are few and far to 
seek. The prevailing policy is that of the party in power, and 
more often than not of acaucus behind it—not the policy which 
on broad general grounds is the most desirable ; in fact, little 
attempt is made to discover in any scientific manner what 
would be the really wise policy to pursue. Nothing could 
illustrate this better than the state of chaos into which 
affairs educational are plunged at the present time. Those who 
dare to differ or offer advice are looked at askance, and always 
with jealous eyes ; and too often everything is done to block the 
way of the reformer, not from any base motive, but as a rule 
from sheer inability to appreciate what is proposed—from sheer 
lack of imaginative power. Necessarily, as the conditions of 
civilisation become more complex, the tendency to accept and 
follow must become greater, and self-satisfaction more and more 
complete and general ; but unless effective means be taken to 
counteract such a tendency, decay is inevitable. 
The phrase ‘‘ creatures of habit” is familiar to us all; few 
will deny that we are seldom otherwise than creatures of habit 
But the growth 
of knowledge is taking place at such a compound interest rate 
that a high degree of plasticity is essential if we are to avail 
ourselves thereof. We were formerly accounted a nation of 
shopkeepers—of clever shopkeepers—but now the title is pass- 
ing from us to the Germans and Americans, because they are 
more alive than we are to the fact that in these days it is 
necessary both to organise and to be alive to every opportunity. 
If we would put money in our purse in future, it will be neces- 
sary to put imagination into our affairs, so that we may be far 
more ready to act than we have been of late years. 
And not only is knowledge increasing, but our responsibilities 
are daily becoming heavier and heavier. In ithe minds of 
thinking men at the present time, the burden of empire our 
nation bears is of appalling magnitude ; the men who have 
imaginative power are aghast at the flippant unconsciousness of 
responsibility manifest in the public at large, and even in the 
majority of our statesmen and politicians. It is widely felt that 
a deeper sense of responsibility must be induced among us if 
we are to maintain our heritage intact—if we are to remain 
worthy to play the great part for which by an inscrutable ordinance 
we find ourselves cast at the very commencement of a new 
century. Nothing is so sure as that if we cannot show our- 
selves to be worthy we shall not long be allowed to play the 
part: jealousy confronts us on all sides; and we have learnt 
that the struggle for existence is Nature’s first law, against 
which philanthropy is powerless so long as it be not universal— 
a contingency which is not even remotely possible. It is little 
short of remarkable that we should be able to go so far as we 
