Science And Agriculture

Press, Volume C, Issue 29520, 23 May 1961, Page 3

Science And Agriculture

Sir.—A few comments prompted by the American rejection of New Zealand meat may not be inappropriate, for in a dissolving economic order dedicated to grab instead of service, the major food crimes are connected with production, preservation, preparation, distribution, and consumption. Production offences include deforestation, wrong cultivation, failure to observe orderly rotation and fallowperiods. neglect of correct fertilisation, forcing with artificial fertilisers and manures, exploiting and exporting the mineral wealth of the soil, exhausting humus and mineral content, spraying with poisons which penetrate humic content. Then the consequences are vita-min-mineral deficiency, toxic accumulation, soil depletion and erosion, pests and floods, human and stock disease, mental and physical decadence and decay, and, in the words of Stone, "universal race suicide.” Then fruit and vegetables chemically forced in dead soil, sprayed, picked green, ' wilted and cold-stored for months. Even the lowly weevil selects live foods while the Lord of Creation psychophysically degenerates.— Yours, etc.. W. J. COLLINS. May 19, 1961.