PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS. 57 



The time has passed when educational institutions of 

 any kind maintained by the public funds shall be looked 

 upon as " close corporations." Broad views as to their 

 functions and usefulness must be adopted to keep pace with 

 the times, and the head of each institution should show 

 adaptability to immediate public requirements and should 

 intelligently forecast future development. But while 

 rendering his institution of the greatest public utility, he 

 must safequard its resources audits reputation. 



Laboratories. 



1 . We require a comprehensive laboratory for physiology 

 and morphology, and you will be pleased to hear 

 that the Minister has taken preliminary steps 

 with the view to filling the desideratum of a 

 physiologist to be attached to the Botanic Gardens 

 staff. 



Obvious work for such a garden-laboratory includes 

 seed-testing (the large herbarium and museum being indis- 

 pensable for such a work); hybridisation of plants (existing 

 efforts being capable of extensive development); phyto- 

 chemistry of a preliminary character (as will be explained 

 later); preliminary investigations on stock poisons for the 

 Stock Department, and so on. 



Supply (loan or gift) of Material. 



1. Horticultural or exhibiting societies, a convenient 



method of bringing some plants before a specially 

 interested section of the public. 



2. University and Technical College (supply of material 



for teaching). 



3. Public or popular lectures on botany and horticulture 



in a special hall within or adjacent to the gardens, 

 so that facilities may be available for presenting 

 abundant fresh material for illustrations of dis- 

 courses. 



