PREFACE 
Durinc the first term of the present year the subject 
matter of this volume was delivered in the form of 
Public Lectures at University College, London, by the 
several authors. The object of the course was particu- 
larly to bring before young botanists, and also such 
members of the general public as cared to attend, some 
account of prevailing methods of plant exploitation, and 
of the field awaiting development in the matter of our 
great and varied resources of plants from the botanist’s 
point of view. It is of course evident that the chap- 
ters in this book touch but a very small part of the field 
of plant exploitation. At a time like the present, when 
so many of our experts are serving their country in 
various ways, this is just what was to be expected ; 
nevertheless, the subjects dealt with are sufficiently 
representative of the whole to make the lectures worth 
publishing in book form,so that a wider public may be 
reached. Signs are not wanting that our neglect in 
the past adequately to develop our resources is now 
beginning to be generally recognised, and if this book 
can help, in however slight a degree, in-the new 
“ push,” it will have served its purpose. It is at the 
desire of the contributors that I have undertaken the 
pleasant duty of seeing this volume through the press. 
F. W. O. 
June, 1917. 
