BOTANY. 



8 9 



lands of the earth which are richest in existing plant life and in the 

 possibilities of future development. Many of these areas await 

 full investigation. We and the Dominions are consequently trustees 

 of vegetable wealth, the extent of which cannot be estimated even 

 by experts, and of the value of which most English people have 

 only the vaguest idea. It is a question whether this wealth shall 

 be inadequately utilized until others appropriate it, or whether we 

 ourselves shall make use of the fortune into which we have stumbled. 



The answer depends, I believe, on the extent to which the science 

 of economic botany is encouraged by the ordinary business men 

 of this country. 



In greatly daring to read a paper on this matter, I have not pre- 

 tended to speak as a scientific expert. I am concerned only to try 

 to add to the number of those who recognize the value of the work 

 already done by economic botanists in this country and the need 

 for affording them the assistance to which they are entitled. 



For, of course, the matter is not neglected by our scientists. There 

 are a few centres of research and education where botanists are 

 keenly alive to the matter and quite abreast with the times. It 

 is they who insist that they are too few for the great tasks which 

 call for their attention and the work which lies ahead. Experiment 

 is needed in every direction, and research can only be carried on 

 by men whose livelihood is assured and for whom appointments 

 are waiting which will be sufficient inducement to take up economic 

 botany as a special branch of science. 



I saw, the other day, that the Board of Agriculture was making 

 a large grant for investigation into the science of poultry breeding. 

 This act encourages one to hope that in the course of time the 

 importance of the science of economic botany, of which I have so 

 imperfectly pleaded the cause, may eventually receive adequate 

 recognition. 



May I conclude with a dictum of Mr. Arthur Balfour : " The 

 great advancement of mankind is to be looked for in our ever- 

 increasing knowledge of the secrets of Nature " ? 



