CAWTHRON INSTITUTE

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIX, Issue 79, 2 March 1929, Page 6

CAWTHRON INSTITUTE

PAST YEAR’S WORK. Per Press Association. ■ NELSON, Fob. 27. During the past year the work of tho Cnwthron Institute, under the direction of Professor Sastorfield, has again been attended with gratifying success, and there lias been considerable expansion in tho scopo of the research problems undertaken, states tho annual report. Acknowledgement js made of tlio financial assistance from various sources, without which activities would be seriously restricted. In tho department of agriculture all the former lines of work in connection, with soil survey, muimrial experiments, crop cultivation, fruit culture, and cool storage have been vigorously prosecuted by Messrs Rigg and TiUor and assistants, while additional schemes, notably that for tho investigation of tho mineral content of pastures have been brought into full operation. In order to cope with the increased volumo of laboratory work involved, an analytical chemist, Dr. Askew, lias been added to the- staff. Important practical results, especially with regard to cortnin deficiency diseases or stock on tho Moutero Hills type of soil, have already been obtained. Experiments with Pakihi lands, which wore commenced towards tho closo of 1927, hark so far proved remarkably successful. If tne experiments which nro now being put in hnnd on a larger scale confirm the results already obtained on small plots, there is no ‘doubt that lnrge areas of land at present lying completely neglected will at no distant, date be brought into cultivation ,and add greatly to the prosperity of the West Coast and Golden liny districts. DEPARTMENT OF MYCOLOGY. In the Department of mycology, under Dr. Curtis, methods of controlling “brown rot” have been evolved which will enable fruitgrowers to practically eliminate their losses from this source Fungal diseases affecting a large number of commercial plants, such as cereals, tobacco, hops, tomatoes, pip fruits, and pines, have been investigated. and valuable advice has been given to growers. The connection between fungal disease and malnutrition has received careful attention and important deductions of practical benefit have boon made. Varieties of hops, tomatoes, and various cereals appearing to l>o immune to specific diseases have been either introduced from abroad or selected from local gardens, and kept under observation. Several of these varieties have been found to be highly resistant to disease, and may, therefore, prove of great economic value. The position of chief of the entomological department, rendered vacant by tho promotion of l)r. Tillynrd to that of Chief Entomologist in the Commonwealth of Australia, was filled by tho appointment of l)r. Miller, who had already had a distinguished career in the service of the New Zealand Government. Assisted by Messrs. Tonnoir and Gourlay, lie has carried out a promising series of experiments to secure the , control of various noxious weeds and ' insects by means of parasites and sprays. PEAR MIDGE OAK SCALE. A great measure of success has boon attained in dealing with pear midge oak scale. The parasite is now well established in oak trees at Nelson and Canterbury, .and is slowly but surely eradicating the pest. The parasite for mealy bug has been successfully introduced. and is now being bred m large numbers for distribution. The life history of tlie bronze bectlo lias been fully worked out by Miss Lysnght, and control experiments with insecticides are being made. For many years attempts have been made to import some parasite that would attack tho various species of blowfly, esjiecially those species that cause so much loss to sheep farmers. Dr. Miller is to be congratulated upon having at last surmounted all difficulties, and the parasite “alysia” is being dispatched, not only to all parts of New Zealand, but to Australia as well. Much attention his also been devoted to forest entomology, and a parasite to destroy tho hortail tlv lias been imported and released, and may already be observed in active operation among pine trees about Nelson. Schemes for greatly extending tlto work of forest entomology sre now under consideration. Many members of the staff have done impoiiant work in this domain of “pure science.” Air l’hilpott, in particular, lias continued his extensive researches into lepidoptcra of this Dominion, and lias, moreover, presented to the Cawtliron Institute his magnifficent collection of New Zealand moths and butterflies; a most valuable gift.