104 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XLVII. No. 1205 



in some of your minds already, that the 

 history of botany during the past two 

 decades is of such a character that the 

 above paragraph comes perilously near 

 having the appearance of setting up a 

 straw man in order to knock him down. 

 Fortunate for botany that this is so, for 

 there has never been a time in the world's 

 history when every individual, every na- 

 tion, organizations of every kind, every sci- 

 ence and every other intellectual discipline 

 have been under such compelling necessity 

 of demonstrating their usefulness. Ger- 

 many, by unchaining a world war, has un- 

 intentionally conferred one of the greatest 

 of blessings on mankind ; she has compelled 

 us to think greater thoughts, to seek 

 higher ideals, to achieve greater things than 

 ever before. By the most savage assault 

 ever made on civilization, wrecking uni- 

 versities, bombarding churches and school 

 houses, burning libraries, destroying or- 

 chards and forests, ruining laboratories 

 and scientific apparatus," she has compelled 

 every nation, every department of knowl- 

 edge to become as useful as possible. 



Eecognizing how almost impossible it is 

 for thinking men, living in the most mo- 

 mentous period of the world's history, to 

 hold their minds for long at a time on any 

 subject not more or less directly connected 

 with the great world events now taking 

 place, it has seemed to the speaker that the 

 only topic suitable for consideration on this 

 occasion is the utility of botanical science, 

 with special reference to suggestions for 

 a botanical program in the near future in 

 America. "What modifications, if any, are 

 necessary, in the present program of organ- 

 ized botany, in order to make it more pre- 

 eminently a useful science? 



Chemistry, physics, mathematics, meteor- 



6 Old and apparently favorite German practises. 

 See, for example, M. Vallery Radot's "Life of 

 Pasteur," Eng. tr., pp. 188-192. 



ology, are all directly useful in the conflicts 

 of war, enabling men to manufacture high 

 explosives, and to fire them with speed and 

 accuracy under most unfavorable condi- 

 tions of weather. But it has recently been 

 the proud boast of medicine that she has 

 been useful in wartime only in preventing 

 sickness or alleviating suffering. Botany 

 may also enjoy whatever comfort is to be 

 derived from this proud boast. It is in- 

 deed true that one of the poisonous gases 

 used by the Germans in the present war is 

 produced from the seeds of the tropical 

 plant, sabadilla {Sabadilla officinalis 

 Brandt), and this suggests that botanical 

 exploration, might (with the cooperation 

 of chemistry in the bloody work!) render 

 services of direct value in active fighting. 

 But, with almost negligible exceptions, the 

 services which botany can render the state 

 are those needed in times of peace as well 

 as war, are directly constructive rather 

 than destructive, and contrary to a general 

 impression, are indispensible and far- 

 reaching. 



It is now universally recognized that the 

 most effective preparedness consists in 

 keeping always prepared. The most effec- 

 tive safeguard against tuberculosis is to 

 live always so as to insure a sound vigorous 

 body, resistant to any attack of the disease. 

 The surest and most efficient way to insure 

 adequate food, fibers, timber, paper and 

 other plant products necessary in time of 

 war is to encourage and support at all times 

 the study of plant physiology and ecology, 

 plant breeding, plant pathology, scientific 

 forestry and research in agronomy, horti- 

 culture and general agriculture. 



The surest way to make botany useful is 

 to follow out a program of research in pure 

 science; for practical needs are almost al- 

 ways met by applying to some special case 

 that which is at hand ready to be applied, 

 and which was not ascertained with ulti- 



