SCIENCE AND FARMING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19143, 8 October 1925, Page 14

SCIENCE AND FARMING.

SIR E. RUTHEftFORD'S VIEWS. THE NEED FOR RESEARCH. EFFORT IN INVESTIGATION. "I am a firm believer in investigating anything scientifically—l don't" care what it is. Science is only organised knowi ledge, after all." This remark really ! conveys the advice of Sir Ernest Ruther- : ford to the farmers of Taranaki. It was made when the famous physicist was asked at New Plymouth if he would say something concerning the application of science to the problems of farming. Sir Ernest said he knew nothing of the practical problems of farming, but he was convinced that scientific investigation could have far-reaching effects, In a reference to the problems o;F agriculture in New Zealana, Sir Ernest Rutherford said that he understood that the Government was trying to deal with them by agricultural research stations whose province was partially to investigate special problems with regard to soils, etc., but was also largely educational. The farming communities in all countries as a rule were very conservative and in many cases the educational side was of «>ven more importance than the purely scientific side at the moment. General experience had shown that any increase of knowledge in connection with agriculture ultimately "became of practical importance to the community. "Generally, in my opinion, it is of the highest importance that the State should devote considerable sums of money to the assistance of scientific work on the great and fundamental problems of agriculture and other branches of farming," Sir Ernest said. In the United States and Canada, particularly, very great attention was being paid to this problem. For instance, in Canada attention was paid for many years to the production of a type of wheat which would give large yields on Canadian soils, and largely through the the work of Dr. Saunders, of the experimental farm at Ottawa, this was eventually accomplished. Researches in Britain. In England, particularly at Cambridge, under the direction of Sir Rowland Biffen, a very intensive study had been made of the improvement of wheat stocks. These researches had extended over a large number of years and had proved very successful, and practically i 0 the wheat grown in England to-day came from the seed separated in Sir Rowland Biffen's laboratory at Cambridge. The result has been not only an increased yield in bushels per acre but also an improvement in the quality of the grain--4<l have referred," said Sir Ernest, '"to the fact that in America very large sums of money are being .spent. Without being in any sense an expert on New Zealand conditions, I feel that agricultural interests • are so important to New Zealand that it is obviously a wise measure to spend money freely in advising the farmer and in scientific investigation of farming in general; by conducting good experimental farms and employing men to advise farmers by the dissemination of literature on improved methods. Inevitably progress is slow. Progress may not be rapid'but it should be certain." Sir Ernest emphasised the need, apart j from the experimental farms, fGr a strong scientific department for investigating the fundamental problems that underlie agricultural processes, including the physics and chemistry of soils, the life history of pests—information which was necessary before any attempt could he made to eradicate them—and so on.. Sir Ernest remarked that the naed was for one centra! institution with a number of scientific men employed—physicists, chemists, zoologists, botanists. . Good Work for Good Pay. On the financial side of the question Sir Ernest expressed a firm conviction that a sum should be provided of a size commensurate with the huge amount involved each year in the farm products of New Zealand. The money should be set aside by the farmers themselves, or with the assistance of the Government. In order that such a schesse should be successful the salaries must be reasonably attractive so that the services of the very best men available would be secured. "If you pay 3 man £4OO a year you. don't get more than £4OO worth I of work," Sir Ernest remarked.