PLANT RESEARCH

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22971, 24 February 1938, Page 18

PLANT RESEARCH

FULL FACILITIES MOUNT ALBERT STATION WIDE SCOPE OF WORK Full facilities for the pursuit of thorough experimental work will be provided by the modern block of buildings to be erected on the newly-estab-lishcd Plant Research Station at Mount Albert. Tenders for the erection of the two-storey structure will close this month and it is considered that an early start will be made with the work in order that the laboratories may be used next spring. While the plans and specifications of the block are said to be new to New Zealand architecture, the design is to a large extent based on the practice in progressive overseas countries. Cool Storage Chambers Much work remains to be done in the investigation of questions relating to refrigeration, l and in the basement of the building cool storage chambers will enable experiments to be conducted under actual service conditions. This plant will allow fruit to be studied from the time of its growth in the station orchards until it would normally be ready to supply to the consumer. The entomological section, the clerical staff and the photographic division, together with various laboratories, will be accommodated on the ground floor. Photography plays an important part in plant research and, as complete records of all diseases and pests are required, many thousands of plates will be exposed each year, the prints being carefully filed, indexed and classified so that they are obtainable at a moment's notice. Other Features of Station In the service laboratories various bacteria will bo grown for testing, while a treatment room will enable the efficiency of seed disinfectants to be tried. On the upper floor, the library and herbarium will be other important features aiding the research workers. Complete specimens of plants together with insect, specimens will be stored for reference. Thousands of these are already held at Palmerston North. By means of an elaborate system of air conditioning, the staff will work under the most favourable conditions. One portion of the plant drives the air to all the rooms under a slight pressure and, by means of exhaust fans, it is completely changed three or four times in an hour. It is thoroughly washed, filtered and cooled or heated according to requirements before being distributed. It is also possible to adjust the relative humidity to the requirements of the workers. Already, there are 25 members of the Plant Research Division working in Auckland, but it is considered probable that the staff will be increased when the buildings are ready for occupation.