152 EXPLOITATION OF PLANTS 
(Development Commissioner and now Secretary of the 
Board of Agriculture) classes (2) drug growing and 
manufacture as a.subsidiary agricultural industry, which 
it behoves us to try. As in other agricultural matters, 
probable post bellum conditions must be considered, 
since the comparative slowness of agricultural returns, 
the moment of inertia, so to speak, in the operations 
involved precludes a sudden volte face to meet new. 
conditions. I place on one side the political aspects of 
the situation, to dwell only upon the responsibility of 
the grower, who must not rely on the special conditions 
obtaining at the moment, but be prepared not only by 
organisation, but by scientific development to face 
renewed competition in the near future. 
On the debit side of all accounts appears annually the 
sum set aside for depreciation. I should like to see also 
in such an industry as we are contemplating an annual 
sum set on one side for appreciation, if I may so term it; 
not only a sum “ to make good,” as we say, loss, but a 
sum ‘‘ to make better,’’ bread upon the waters which, 
maybe, will return a hundredfold. Now, it is obvious 
that methods of improvement are so slow and expensive, 
that one grower, or group of growers, can effect little; 
but if small sums are pooled to support experiment, 
as is done by the Cotton Spinners’ Association, much 
might be effected. 
What are the directions in which experiment might 
work ¢ 
We have it on the authority of Mr. Holmes of the 
Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain that the cul- 
tivation of medicinal plants is capable of improvement 
under more systematic and scientific control, and, as 
