484 TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION K, 



account of the species of Sanseviera by Mr. N. E. Brown, recently issued at 

 Kew. Cloecly allied species or varieties of one and the same species may differ 

 greatly in economic value, and the work of the monographer is to discover and 

 diagnose these different forms and elucidate them for the benefit of the worker 

 in the field. 



If we are to make the best use of our resources botanical research fitations 

 in different parts of the Empire, adequately equipped and under the charge of 

 a capable trained botanist, are a prime necessity. We seem to have been 

 singularly imfortunate, not to say stupid, in the management of some of our 

 tropical stations and botanical establishments. 



The island of Jamaica is one of the oldest of our tropical possessions. It 

 is easy of access, has a remarkably rich and varied flora, a fine climate, and 

 affords easy access to positions of widely differing altitude. It is interesting 

 to imagine what Germany would have made of it as a station for botanical 

 work if she had occupied it for a few years. The most recent account of the 

 flora which pretends to completeness is by Hans Sloane, whose work antedates 

 the Linnfean era. A flora as complete as available material will allow is now 

 in course of preparation in this country, but the more recent material on which 

 it is based is due to American effort. Comparatively recently a mycologist has 

 been appointed, but there is no Government botanist to initiate botanical 

 exploration or experimental work or to advise on matters of botanical interest. 

 A botanical station ideal for experimental work in tropical botanical problems 

 is a mere appendage of a Department of Agriculture, the Director of which is 

 a chemist. 



A botanical station for research to be effective must be rmder the super- 

 vision of a well-trained botanist with administrative capacity, who must have 

 at his disposal a well-equipped laboratory and ground for experimental work. 

 Hei must not be expected to make his station pay its way by selling produce 

 or distributing .seedlings and the like; a botanical station is not a market- 

 garden. The Director will be ready to give help and advice on questions of a 

 botanical nature arising locally, and h© will be on the look-out for local problems 

 which may afford items of botanical research to visiting students. Means must 

 be adopted to attract the research student, aided if necessary by research 

 scholarships from home. The station should have sufficient Imperial support 

 to avoid the hampering of its utility by local prejudice or ignorance. The 

 permanent staff should include a mycologist and a skilled gardener. 



The botanical station doe« not preclude the separate existence of an agri- 

 cultural station, but tlie scope of each must be clearly defined, and imder normal 

 conditions the two would be mutually helpful. Nor should the botanical station 

 be responsible for work of forestry, though forestry may supply problems of 

 interest and importance for its consideration. 



Finally, I should like to suggest the holding of an Imperial Botanical Con- 

 gress at which matters of general and special interest might be discussed. The 

 visit of the British Association to Australia was, I think, helpful to the 

 Australian botanists; it was certainly very helpful and of the greatest interest 

 to those coming from home. Many of the addresses and papers were of con- 

 siderable interest and value, but of greater value was the opportunity of meet- 

 ing with one's fellow- workers in different fields, of conversation, discussion, and 

 interchange of ideas, the better realisation of one's limited outlook and the 

 stimulus of new associations. A meeting which brought together home botanists 

 and botanical representatives from oversea portions of our Empire to discuss 

 methods of better utilising our vast resources would be of great interest and 

 supremely helpful. Let us transfer to peace purposes some of the magnificent 

 enthusiasm which has flowed homewards for the defence of the Empire in war. 



In this brief address I have tried, however imperfectly, to indicate some 

 lines on which botanists may render useful service to the community. To a 

 large extent it means the further development and extension of existing 

 facilities added to an organised co-operation between botanists themselves and 

 between botanists and the practical and commercial man ; this will include an 

 efficient, systematic cataloguing of work done and in progress. We do not 

 propose to hand over all our best botanists to the applied branches and to 



