PEESIDENTIAL ADDKESS. 7 



century were noteworthy for yet another development — 

 the birth of vegetable physiology which dates from 

 Kolreuter and Sprengel's observations and experiments on 

 fertilisation and Stephen Hale's classic labours on the 

 movements of sap. The De Jussieus and later the 

 De Candolles inaugurated a new epoch in systematic 

 Botany by the publication of their natural systems of 

 taxonomy, based on the essential principle that natural 

 affinities are not to be determined by any one character 

 but by the sum of all, whilst the developmental and 

 physiological methods were further emphasised by the 

 publication in 1842 of Schleiden's Principles of Botany 

 wherein the modern standpoint is at last clearly enunciated 

 and defined. With the acceptance by botanists of these 

 principles we reach comparatively recent times, for the 

 next great names that meet us are those so familiar to 

 the botanical student of to-day. 



Botany then, as an organised study of the structure, 

 functions and mutual relationships of plants had Medicine 

 and Pharmacy for its parents, although I fear its parents 

 are nowadays rather inclined to ignore their offspring. 

 The search for simples amongst the herbs of the field 

 resulted in the discovery of a great Science ; the need for 

 the study of those simples brought about the foundation 

 of gardens to which the ancient apothecary might have 

 ready access and from which he might conveniently obtain 

 the particular drug he required. The finds of travellers 

 involved successive extensions in the superficial area of the 

 gardens, and the birth of the new interest in plants 

 for their own sake revolutionised their arrangement. 

 Microscopic and experimental research demanded labora- 

 tories in which the student might explore the minute 

 structure of plants or attempt to solve the thousand and 

 one problems in vegetable physiology, whilst the growth 



