ACTIVE RESEARCH

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 120, 16 November 1929, Page 11

ACTIVE RESEARCH

ALONG MANY LINES

THREE MONTHS' WORK

REPORT TO MINISTER

. The Hon. H. Atinore, Minister of Scientific and Industrial Beseareh, has been supplied With a full report by Mr. G. Shirtcliffe, chairman of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Eesearch, dealing with the progres- of research activities during the past three monthß. The section of the report dealing with noxious weeds, research is concerned chiefly with the gorse parasite, Apion ulicis. In order to meet the peculiarly difficult characteristics of this insect as regards its acclimatisation to the Dominion, a temporary field station was established at Flagstaff Hill, Dunedin. The progeny of a consignment reared in Dunediu have been transported to Kelson, and are thriving in the insectary there. It is significant, however, of the extraordinary difficulties attaching to the acclimatisation of this species, that, but of the thousands imported in eleven different - consignments, less than one hundred have survived up to the present. The mortality in transit is always very high, and, to reduce this, it is proposed to arrange for future importations to be made on living gorse plants. . • Similar difficulties have attended the work on the acclimatisation of the blackberry insect, Coraebus rubi. These are imported in infeßted blackberry and rose stocks, and although about 20 per cent, of the beetles emerge, their mortality rate in the specially heated insectaries is high. However, some of the insects have attacked blackberries, and the results of this infestation should become apparent in November or December. The survey of the ragwort areas where Tyria jacobaeae had been released'late last summer, was disappointing; but already the emergence of Tyria has been reported from one area this spring. Arrangements are now completed for an extensive release of large numbers of the cinnabar moth in ragwort areas during the coming summer. "OF SUPREME IMPORTANCE." Steady progress with the investigation of. the mineral-content of pastures is being made in both the Auckland and Nelson areas. As. yet, complete elucidation of the problem, is not, in sight, though the use of a 5-2 lime super topdressing apparently is proving an effective remedial measure in the King Country. The nature of the-problem has necessitated its being given further attention, and, in consequence, it has been arranged: (1) To station two officers of the Geological Survey in the Te Kuiti district for the purpose of making a geological and soil survey of the area, it already having been ascertained that marked differences occur in the health-maintaining property of pasture according to tho influence of various volcanic showers, of which seven have been traced; (2) to make blood arid other physiological tests of animals grazing on affected pastures; and (3) to 'undertake a survey of tho hydrogcu-iou value (or acidity) and lime. requirements of the deficient.areas. At the same tinie, soil and .pasture analysis will be pushed ahead by Mr. Anton and his assistants and further animal-feed-ing trials will be inaugurated on a more comprehensive scale. The aim of the work is the working out of methods of treatment.'of affected ftreas/ and the forecasting of aliy likely trouble on undeveloped land. "In view of the Dominion's, dependence upon animal products," says the chairman, "I feel that I am justified in directing the council's attention to the supreme importance of devoting much attention and research towards all matters connected with animal nutrition and disease. Tho farm production of New Zealand suffers from marked limitations on account of imperfections in diet and the incidence of disease." Cold storage problems are being investigated with the help of tho English scientists now in the Dominion. It is anticipated that the investigation will help in the elucidation of the loss occasioned through lack of "bloom," which lack at times detracts from th© value of New Zealand meat when sold overseas. Experiments dealing with the behaviour of cheese in transport and storage have been commenced, a consignment of cheeses specially prepared at the Dairy Institute having been shipped, accompanied by thermographs, to the British Dairy Eesearch Institute at Beading. This investigation is designed mainly to provide information relative to the bacteria concerned in maturing of cheese and open-texture defect from which New Zealand cheese apparently suffers. EXTENSIVE WHEAT TRIALS. ■ Consistent progress has boon made in the matter of wheat research, and over 3000 separate field trials of wheat are under way at Lincoln College. The seed certification scheme arranged between the institute and the Department of Agriculture is also helping to provido farmers with better quality seed, and, ultimately, the result will be reflected in the quality of the flour and bread produced. It is gratifying to note the confidence placed m the work of the institute by the frequent reference to it of many problems connected with wheat, flour and baking, and it is now realised to be Idling a most important part in connection with those industries for whose assistance it was originally established. Wool research is making considerable headway at the Massey and Lincoln Colleges. In order to ascertain the precise uses to which New Zealand wool is being put, special inquiries .are now being made in. the United Kingdom, llus is a most necessary step in order that the local woolgrowers may be guided as to the particular naturo ot the wool required by overseas buyWIDE RANGE OF ACTIVITIES. Satisfactory progress is also reported in the matter of dairy research and o± plant research. In the former a most useful investigation has been completed upon the losses of fat oecurrin.' in butter-milk. A new simple method of determining moisture in butter and cheese is under development. Tho briquetting of Waikato coals is the subject of a separate bulletin about to.be issued, and work of a similar nature with other coals is being carried on. The negotiations for the establishment of a Forest Biological 'Research Station have now been finalised, and a beginning has been made with th? erection of the necessary accommodation by the Cawthron Trust Board. Tho station will be under'tho direction of Dr. David Miller, and at first will deal mainly with the entomological problems of tho forest; later, it is hoped, its activities will be extended to cover tho whole biological range. The station will be under tho general direction of a Forest Biological Eesearch Committee, representative of all contributing and participating interests. In view of the imporfanco of taking prompt action to ensure the protection of the considerable forest resources from the menace of insect and fungal attack, the establishment of this station marks a distinct advance.