PLANT ANALYSIS AS AN APPLIED SCIENCE 
Schleiden, 1 2 in his “ Principles of Botany,” states: “Botany 
is an indispensable branch of knowledge for the chemist and 
physiologist.” I think he might have said, with equal truth, 
chemistry and physiology are indispensable branches of know¬ 
ledge to the botanist. An acquaintance with these three 
branches of knowledge is indispensable to the plant chem¬ 
ist. If we consider that our food, fabrics, dyestuffs, perfumes, 
drugs, and beverages are all derived from plants, we can 
scarcely fail to inquire into the functions and intimate struc¬ 
ture of vegetable life. The application of chemical knowledge 
to the study of plant life under all conditions is the first step 
toward a practical solution of the problems of agriculture, 
materia medica, and the industries derived from plant sources. 
As long ago as 1795, 3 a learned Scotch nobleman said, “In¬ 
deed there is no operation or process in agriculture, not merely 
mechanical, that does not depend on chemistry.” Fifteen years 
later than Earl Dundonald’s treatise, the first vegetable sub¬ 
stance was accurately analyzed. Another period passed before 
the analyses of Liebig. Since that day investigators have been 
busily engaged in plant analysis. 
Plant analysis to-day rests on a sure foundation as a dis¬ 
tinct subdivision of general chemistry. Chemistry teaches us 
what vegetation needs for its growth, and points out the sources 
whence the materials for crops can be derived. Intense cul¬ 
tivation of the plant is the agricultural motto. The contrary 
is true for pharmacy. Plants which are to be used for medicinal 
1 Delivered before the Franklin Institute, Philadelphia, January 17, 1887. 
Printed in the Journal of the Franklin Institute; also in pamphlet form, 
1887. 
2 Principles of Scientific Botany , by Dr. J. M. Schleiden. London, 1849. 
3 How Crops Grow , by S. W. Johnson. London, 1869, p. 4. 
