SCIENCE AND THE LAND

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 138, 15 June 1927, Page 8

SCIENCE AND THE LAND

The application of science to industry, and especially to primary industry, is now recognised as essential if the producers are to prosper. To assist a proper appreciation of the importance of this question we have made it the subject of the Spocial Palmerston Show Number which we issue to-day. Study of the special statement made by the Prime Minister and of the illuminating accompanying articles should convince all who give thought to tho subject that there is no work in the Dominion at the present day which offers a better return for public expenditure. In future years, we believe, it will be counted as an' outstanding performance in the Prime Minister's career that he carried through the establishment of the Agricultural College in the face of opposition which threatened to wreck or at least delay the enterprise. As time goes, on and the results are more clearly seen, people will wonder why there should ever have been, opposition. Beading the article on "Pasture Lands" alone one cannot fail to perceive that the scope for research is unlimited; as unlimited as the possible return from investigation. iThe problem presented by deteriorated lands is but a part of this greater problem. We have carried on hitherto by rulc-of-thumb methods and the application of some lessons learned in other countries; but if we are to restore the richness to our pastures we must study the question intensively ourselves. The investigations that have been made by one or two experts in this branch of farm

science have shown how much may be expected from a complete and methodical application of science.

It is the samo witli other branches of the agricultural industry. The scientists who have been at work so far havo done much to solve the problems arising in the practice of farming and in the preparation and marketing of farm products. But they will be able to do very much more when their efforts are supplemented by the organisation and equipment of tho Agricultural College. There has been some suspicion of the scientist, aa one who is not practical. But if one studies the scheme outlined by the Prime Minister one must admit at once that tho practical side is paramount. Tho man who merely muddles along is not practical, though he/may proclaim that ho is. The practical man is ho who discovers where there is waste, or loss or lack of profit, and sets himself methodically to find the remedies and apply them. Tho plan for agricultural rosearch is dosignod to bring the scientist and the farmer together. Field officers and instructors will be the connecting Hnlg, carrying the problems to the scientist and tho solutions to the farmer.. Actually the farmer has already had considerable benefit from such scientific aid —though he has not always recognised

it. He has accepted the advice of instructors, graders, and field officers generally. What he is now offered is similar assistanco upon a greater scale. The promoters of the movement have taken all pains to assure that the laboratory and experiment station shall not lose touch with the farm, and it is for tho farmers now to do their part by co-operating to the fullest extent with tho men who are working to help them.