AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE

Hokitika Guardian, 9 August 1928, Page 4

AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE

ADDRESS BY SIR JOHN RUSSELL. WELLINGTON, August 7. At a luncheon by the combined New Zealand University clubs, Sir John Russell, director of Rotliamstead Experimental Station, traced the development of science as applied to agriculture. Tho knowledge gained a hundred years ago, about how plants grew and about the essential salts in the soil had been shelved and forgotten like most other sccintific knowledge, hut recently that knowledge had been re-discovered and pressed into practical service. The lesson for the future was that pure science must have a free hand unlettered by restrictions and unhampered by being asked what was the use of it all. Subsequently would come along the master hand to piece together the isolated discoveries made by pure science and apply them to every day needs. It was therefore es- j sential to have universities or schools I where pure science could be studied, and it was also essential that all knowledge thus gained should he made available as quickly as possible. Agricultural problems were much the same tho world over and this being realised, an Imperial soil bureau, which had been formed at Rothnmstead, would he in a position to coordinate the efforts of a hundred skill ed soil scientists there who would pass on the information gained from other countries. They would test the new methods and apparatus and would l>y its advice, be able to assist the struggling farmer wherever he might happen to be. “The object of my visit,” concluded Sir John Russell, a is to confer with your agricultural experts, for we can; not afford to fail in our venture and it is only by co-operation and co-or-dination that we will meet with success.”