PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS. 4 1 



the plant or for dealing with it in any other way. I still 

 think it will be desirable to take some such action as thus 

 briefly outlined, sooner or later. 



The Queensland Government has appointed a Committee 

 of scientific men to investigate the pest, and this Committee 

 has recommended the appointment of a botanist (a lady, 

 Dr. Jean White, of Melbourne) to make experiments under 

 its direction, with the view of having all methods of 

 destruction recommended for test, subjected to the scrutiny 

 of proper scientific investigation. We shall look forward 

 to the result of these experiments with much interest, and 

 we, partly for selfish reasons, hope that a really practicable 

 method of pear destruction will be brought to light as the 

 result of Dr. White's work, for we of all the Australian 

 States, are most concerned after Queensland. 



To some extent Dr. White's appointment is an innovation, 

 so far as an Australian Government is concerned ; it is 

 adoption of a method, of tested value in the United States, 

 w r here a scientific worker is detailed to work out a special 

 problem, untrammelled by other duties of any kind whatever. 



V. Some Botanical Matters; 

 1. The teaching of botany. — I propose to address you to 

 night on various matters pertaining to the advancement of 

 botany, horticulture and cognate subjects in this State. 

 To some extent I shall refer to remarks made in my Presi- 

 dential Address of 1897. I see most gratifying evidence 

 of progress in plant knowledge, and am very pleased to note 

 that our University will be very shortly free from the 

 reproach that we have no Professor of Botany. 



The effect of the appointment of such a man on botanical 

 education will be immediate and important. In many 

 primary and secondary schools botany will be taught 

 because it is definitely recognised by the University, and 



