620 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XL. No. 1035 



ornamental and beautiful, or they are used 

 for purposes of instruction. We need agri- 

 cultural gardens in which agricultural 

 plants are dominant rather than recessive. 



There is another difficulty quite as detri- 

 mental to progress as inability to obtain ma- 

 terial. It is the lack of trustworthy infor- 

 mation in regard to economic plants. Quite 

 as necessary as agricultural gardens is an 

 agricultural botany. In this botany must 

 be set forth, besides descriptions of spe- 

 cies, the habitat, the migrations, the geo- 

 graphical 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 produc- 

 tion of such a book is a consummation de- 

 voutly to be wished. At present the infor- 

 mation needed is best supplied by Bailey's 

 splendid cyclopedias, but there is need of 

 more historical and biological knowledge 

 in agricultural botany. 



I had thought to say a few words about 

 the men who are to do this work. 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 hur- 

 riedly even if I could properly conceive 

 them. But from the beginning to the end 

 of this new shaping of food crops, the in- 

 dividual man trained for the work will be 

 dominant. The work to be done, however, 

 is so vast that we can not make an appreci- 

 able showing unless the task be divided 

 among a great number of workers. Those 

 who will do most are such as can concen- 

 trate on particular problems the sifted 

 experience and knowledge of the world. 

 Many may sow, but only the strong can 

 garner. 



There should be unity of action to avoid 

 waste. What more pathetic spectacle than 

 that of isolated men in our agricultural 



institutions attacking one and the same 

 problem in which they duplicate errors 

 and waste their efforts in what too often 

 proves with all to be petty circle-squaring. 

 Much of this appalling waste can be 

 avoided by a proper spirit of cooperation. 

 By all means let us cooperate in the ameli- 

 oration of plants. 



In conclusion, I must end as I began by 

 calling attention to the great probabil- 

 ity of a near-at-hand deficiency of food. I 

 must again urge the importance of ma- 

 king use of every means of increasing 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 ma- 

 terial in the plant-kingdom for the world's 

 food is improvidence and is a reckless 

 ignoring on your part and mine of splendid 

 opportunities to serve our fellow men. It 

 is my hope that the horticultural depart- 

 ments of the agricultural colleges and ex- 

 periment stations of North America, rep- 

 resented by members of this society, may 

 become active agents in increasing the 

 number of food crops and thereby the 

 world's food supply. 



U. P. Hedrick 



HEADSHIP AND OBGANIZATION OF CLIN- 

 ICAL DEPARTMENTS OF FIRST-CLASS 

 MEDICAL SCHOOLS^ 



Two recent oiEeial manifestations with ref- 

 erence to the problem of full-time clinical 

 positions deserve to be put at the head of our 



1 This manuscript has been prepared for the 

 president and trustees of a university in answer 

 to the following questions: 



"First: What should be the relation of the 

 hospital to a first-class medical school? The 

 question is asked ... to bring out the ideal re- 

 lationship. For instance, to what extent should 

 the school own, control, or manage its teaching 

 hospital in its medical and in its administrative 

 functions. 



