UNINTELLIGIBLE SCIENCE

New Zealand Mail, 17 September 1902, Page 65 (Supplement)

UNINTELLIGIBLE SCIENCE

Tlio rhymer in the agricultural do part men t of an American journal takes exception to the unintelligible phraseology of certain lecturing experts in a way that conveys a hint to even some ot our Australian exponents- of scientific principles:—

There was a man in our town, and he had Wondrous whys, He went to hear a lecture', and hia talk was of this size: “Say, mister, what is nitrogen and legumes—what ar© they? And carbo-hydrate, oxygen and carbonate, I pray? And what is an albuminoid, and what, is chlorophyl ? And what are these bacteria you tell us how to kill ? Somehow it’s worse than Greek to me, tx7u-i 11S earnec l stuff you said, ” hile these big, undiscovered words are buzzing at my head.”

The people laughed, the chairman rose • and pounded with his cane, The expert speakers shook their heads and l° o ked a look of pain, They sat on our inquiring friend, and ridiculed his whys ; * And yet he had the right of it! The questions they despise Were just the things lie had to know ere he could understand The matters they were driving at in speeches wisely planned.

And lots of those who laughed at him and ridiculed that day, Knew less than he, but were afraid to “give themselves away.” - And so they wisely wagged their heads at eacli big sounding word, Aitho’ they didn’t understand the big words that they heard.. ( bop "t*. these scientific terms and deem y'i'Mo is entirely out of