RESEARCH IN WHEAT.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 50, Issue 74, 8 January 1930, Page 6

RESEARCH IN WHEAT.

SYDNEY SCIENTIST’S WORK. SPLENDID ACHIEVEMENTS. In presenting Mr Walter L. W aterhouse for the degree of Doctor of Science in Agriculture at a meeting oi the Senate of the Sydney University a few days ago, Professor Watt, Dean of the Faculty,, said that this was a- special occasion, as Dr. Waterhouse was the first to be awarded' the Doctor s degree in" the Faculty of Agriculture. The thesis presented by Dr. Waterhouse was of a very high order ol merit. As a record of research in pure genetics, it was worthy of a doctor’s degree in science. As a record of research in pure mycology, it was quite up to the standard of the doctorate in pure science. Such was the opinion or his examiners. . In all Dr. Waterhouse’s work., said Professor Watt, there was a utilitarian or economic objective —namely, the production of varieties of wheat and other cereals immune to rust and other fungus diseases. Wheat rust alone c-aused losses of hundreds of thousands of pounds annually, and in bad years millions of pounds, to the farmers ol New South Whiles. Dr. W’aterliouse bad already met with great success as the result of an extremely careful study of the factors involved in rust resistance, ✓and, if granted the proper facilities, as ■far as it was humanly possible to predict, liis utlimate object would bo attained. Dr. Waterhouse’s work had attracted great attention in other parts of the world, and other institutions in Australia and Great Britain bad expressed a keen desire to secure bis services, but up to the present lie had remained loval to the University and Faculty which had been, responsible for bis training. \.