BIOLOCIST'S REPORT.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 158, 28 March 1908, Page 3

BIOLOCIST'S REPORT.

| , AN INTERESTING , NUMBER r: -The, annual-report 1 ' of tho Government I Biologist-(Mr. T. W. Kirk) is always interesting, concerning, as it'does/ a :wido field ■of; scientific, work. ; : The; 1907 report, just printed, contains/an. abundance' or valuable .reading..... The articles on ; plant: pathology;' covering.:, diseases :of many plants of the garden, orchard, and farin, 'will interest 7 :a wide circle'of! readers,, arid, tell them some, things that are worth money. Tho Biologist discusses,. ill; words, that all can ...understand!' the influences ivhich determine the dividing line between.' localised attacks, of disease and wido .'epidemics; 'such as relate, for example; to; diseases of' -potatoes, calibagesj- /turnips,' etc. Not only aoes tho repprt.-adyocate'the spraying remedies, which, however, cfficaci-' ous, are certainly not popular, but. it ;travorscs numerous, little' ways,! loss irksome,' in-which safety from attacks may be sought: The - gift, of being, able to ih'e fascinating habits of the many_ micro-organisii|s! and even tho larger-organisms,' is'>*ery, serviceable" in a department' that tries to help, plant -growers';-arid v Mr. Kirk 'possesses it; Thb.troubles: of. cereal crops; clovers, grasses! fruit trees, and. other economic plants are. all dealt with in.,a manncr : that will make, the report, to a farmer who! is interested in his-profession, as, fascinating as fiction. Tho report .will mako ! good, fireside reading- this winter! '■ -There . are good . chapters' on the farm'-;arid garden'insects;','be<S culture,'' tho canning of- fruit, and other foods/- and, on the displays .'at fiie ; Christclnirch . Exhibition; .-in eonricctiori witli- which ; the illustrations- aro magnificent.-: The 1?0 plots of, grasses - and forage , crops. ;shown at the -Exhibition: are doscribed; in'the', report with information." of thbir commercial qualities "-.which,' oven alono, make this report worth'possessing. Our' ad-1 vice:-to farmcrs'-is not only.to get'a'copy, I but' to be sure .and read it. • I