§ 26. Sir H. BRITTAINasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether any efforts are being made by expert botanists in the direction of the study of plants of economic importance throughout the Empire; and whether any assistance is this direction is being given by the Empire Marketing Board?
§ Mr. AMERYThe answer to both parts of the question is in the affirmative. A grant of £4,000 for five years from the Empire Marketing Fund has been promised to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, through the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries. The grant will be devoted partly to the employment of an
§ economic botanist to be attached to the Royal Botanic Gardens, who will be available either to visit the Dominions and Colonies from time to time or to set free a superior officer of the Kew staff to undertake overseas missions, and partly to sending botanical collectors to various parts of the world to study and bring home plants of economic importance for cultivation at Kew and distribution to the Dominions and Colonies.
§ Sir H. BRITTAINHow many is it proposed to send to different parts of the Empire from Kew?