RESEARCH. IN RUSSIA

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 10 January 1936, Page 2

RESEARCH. IN RUSSIA

SOME PRACTICAL SUCCESSES . “Russia definitely leads the world in plant breeding research,” said Dr. O. H. Frankel, Plant Geneticist of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, in an interview at Christchurch on Ills return to Christchurch from a trip to England and the Continent. Both in plant- and stock breeding research, said Dr. Frankel, the feature of the Russian work was the courageous use of new methods. “There could be no greater contrast than between the Russian and English attitudes to research. In England: the .work is entirely individualist, and the institutions are in a sense built round individuals. In Russia it is just the opposite. There are huge co-operative schemes, collectively planned, and hundreds of scientists may be employed on the same task. In this way each individual '-has the opportunity of influencing tlie vast volume of research all over the Soviet Union.” Dr. Frankel said that no doubt a combination of flier two attitudes would he ideal. In Russia the junior workers might possibly he “squashed” by the senior men, and the junior workers, with their freshness of ideas, were very valuable in research. “Sheep breeding in Russia is outstanding,” lie said. “They are trying to produce a- race of sheep for high altitudes, by crossing the wild sheep with merino. The sheep will not cross naturally, s<? a method of artificial insemination is being used.”