68 ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS, KEW 
example of the cosmopolitan character of its membership, the follow- 
ing figures are interesting : — Asia, 46 ; Africa, 34 ; America, 60 ; Aus- 
tralasia, 18 ; and Europe, 63, exclusive of those in the British Isles. 
In the industrial development of British colonies and possessions, the 
Kew man has always been among the earliest workers. As soon as 
th e pax Britannica has been established, and often before, he appears. 
He founds botanic stations where useful plants are grown for dis- 
tribution, and he gives demonstrations of the best methods of culti- 
vating them. He fostered the tea industry in India and Ceylon ; 
he also started the cultivation of cinchona there ; he has helped 
largely in the regeneration of the West Indian Islands ; and at the 
present time Africa is dotted over with the stations he is managing, 
each one a nucleus of what will probably develop into the most 
important industries of the continent. Often he suffers the fate 
common to pioneers : he sows that others may reap. Many a Kew 
man has laid down his life in the conscientious performance of his 
duty — as genuine a sacrifice to the cause of empire and of humanity 
as any soldier or missionary has ever made. 
