SOIL AND NUTRITION

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22449, 19 June 1936, Page 8

SOIL AND NUTRITION

The address on soils delivered by Dr. Marsden, Director of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, before the National Dairy Conference yesterday, was a broadbased scientific discourse that will help to lift the subject to higher planes of thought. He is a practical scientist from whom the country expects utilitarian advice for immediate application, but he has the rare gift of guiding minds more or less habitually bound to the present towards the quests of science iu distant fields. When he speaks' of the causes of bush-sickness through the lack of certain minerals in the soil he arouses the intelligent interest of only a section of the people. When, however, he says that science is beginning to see in constituents of the soil a possible contributory reason why certain countries have raised in the past virile peoples who perhaps became decadent through the leaching of their soils, he arrests the attention of all the thoughtful. It is well that -such authorities as Dr. Marsden should take the opportunities presented to them to so educate the community. When a lecture on soils deals not only with fertility and production, but also invites study of nutrition values, the health of human beings and the possible consequences of health or ill-health upon the destiny of peoples, a national vote of thanks is due. Nutrition is a subject that is receiving wide attention. The mass in most countries still judge Ihe question in terms of quantity. The day is approaching when quality nutrition combined with adequate rest, adequate exercise and many other factors, will have public knowledge. 1 Legislation may have less importance in ushering in the " new era " than the' teachings of science generally applied.