PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS. 43 



"I do not know there is any trade by which less money has 

 been got than by that of botany . . . ." 



Fortunately Oaley was not discouraged, and he did excellent 

 work, too little known, in New South Wales from 1800 to 

 1810. What Banks wrote has remained largely true for 

 over a century, but botany, the Cinderella of the sciences, 

 is coming into her own, and I can certainly indicate a more 

 hopeful future for its votaries than when I addressed you 

 fifteen years ago. 



Botany is taught in all High Schools (Real-Gymnasia) in 

 Germany. In this way students imbibe a love of this 

 subject (I am only dealing with botany in this address), and 

 often proceed to a wider knowledge of it later. The pass- 

 ing by the boy of the examination which qualified him to 

 go from the classes known as Lower to Upper Secunda 

 gives him the privilege of only serving one year with the 

 army, instead of two years, the ordinary term. Now 

 Germany is a country in which social distinctions are very 

 marked, and anyone who has some social claims, from the 

 small shopkeeper upwards, considers it a disgrace if his 

 sons have to serve two years in the army, in common with 

 peasants and labourers, and people who cannot or will not 

 study. The boys themselves share this feeling. 



It will be seen at once what a mighty spur this military 

 requirement, grafted on the system of public education, is 

 to the acquisition of knowledge in Germany. And know- 

 ledge is power and wealth, as the Fatherland well knows. 

 It may be that the Commonwealth Government may find 

 it desirable to put a premium on knowledge amongst youths 

 drawn for military training, and then learning of all kinds, 

 including science, will receive such an impetus in Australia 

 as it can receive in no other way. 



