The Coordination of Science and Industry.

Otago Witness, Issue 3292, 18 April 1917, Page 55

The Coordination of Science and Industry.

By Geo. M. Thomson, F.L..S.

In connection with research bearing on agriculture, let me take one specific line—that of the New Zealand flax or hemp industry, in which there is very great scope for definite work. Phormium tenax is indigenous to and confined to New Zealand. There are several distinct varieties which differ from one another in several respects, and the first thing required is a biological investigation of these varieties. These naturally-occurring forms must be studied not only as to their botanical characters, their habitat and range, their suitability to various elevations, soils, and localities, their rate of growth, etc., but an exhaustive examination is needed as to certain economic features. Their flax-bearing capabilities, the length and strength of the fibres, the relative abundance or absence of gum, the uses to which the gum can be put, and the readiness with which the fibre can be separated from other matters, are all questions to be looked into, and regarding which there is too little information on record at the present time. But they can all be learned by careful investigation. It is more than probable that such researches would result in the selection of varieties which would enable the present yields to be greatly increased, and the cost of production to be relatively lowered. Some chemical research has already been "devoted to the examination of the investing gum and to methods for its removal without damaging the fibre. These have not so far yielded much satisfaction, but.they furnish a starting-point for further research. The gum itself may be of commercial value if it can be easily separated; hitherto it has proved a somewhat troublesome substance. 'At present the separation of the fibre is purely mechanical, and the waste material is relatively large. The treatment of this waste material, consisting of broken fibre, gummy matter, cellulose, etc., is also worth investigating. It might be possible by fermentation and distillation to obtain from it considerable quantities of alcohol; and if such a process yielded it at a cheap enough rate, it would benefit many arts. I will refer to this subject further immediately. Still another important research in connection with the flax industry is an examination of the insect, and other pests—e.g., fungoid, to which the plant is subject. Recently it was stated that a wellknown entomologist attached J;o the Agricultural Department had been told off to investigate one of the insect pests which had been very destructive during the past season or two. But, shortly after, the same gentleman was required to investigate the mosquitoes which were supposed to be coming into the country via the Panama Canal, in order to watch for and destroy the anopheles should they be brought here. This or some such problem was required by the Department of Public Health. Probably this latter question is much the more important of the two 7 but it only shows that, instead of having one man competent to tackle such problems, the Government should have a qualified staff of entomologists. In order to cope with the insects which at present attack and seriously injure tho yield of flax-blades, a complete study of their life histories requires to be made, and then the remedy for them will be found.

Reverting to the question of cheap alcohol, one of the great problems facing the manufacturer, especially in the Home Country, but also to a less extent here, is the question of getting it freed from taxation. By alcohol, unless otherwise specified, one always means "ethyl'' alcohol, that liquid produced by the fermentation of saccharine fluids which constitutes the spirituous basis of all wines and beers, and of whisky, brandy, rum, gin, and other "strong drinks." In nearly all countries of the world Governments have levied very heavy taxes on alcoholic beverages, because not only are they easily collected, but they are put upon a substance which is recognised as a luxury and not a necessity. But it is a curious fact that no increase in the tax, however great, decreases the amount of these liquids consumed. In the United States the cost of producing proof spirit is about per gallon; the tax is 4s 7d per gallon. In Britain the tax is 14s 9d, and in New Zealand 16s. But for industrial purposes alcohol must be free from foreign matters, and should contain not more than 10 per cent, of water. The problem is how to make it undrinkablo. The common practice has been to metbylate. it—that is, to add to 300 gallons of ethyl alcohol (not less than 90 per cent.) 10 gallons of crude methyl alcohol (prepared from the distillation of wood) and half a gallon of benzine. But for many important manufactures the alcohol must be nearly pure, and in Britain the exciseman has always proved more powerful than the chemist. Yet just because the Ger-

man chemist was able to use untaxed alcohol, many substances were made in Germany which were barred in Britain by the 'prohibitive price of alcohol. This question must be faced in Britain if she is to manufacture such things as smokeless powder and other explosives, fulminate of mercury (used in caps, cartridges, etc.), artificial silk, incandescent mantles, ether, chloroform,- and many other things, at reasonable prices. In our own country the production, of cheap alcohol as a source of light and power is worthy of close investigation. As a gram of alcohol produces 7200 calories of heat, it is much more effective for use in incandescent lamps than kerosene. The problem, howis an international one, and, as it is being taken up on a very large scale in Europe, the probability is that very considerable developments may be looked for. The following will interest anyone who aspires to tackle the problem of cheap alcohol.

In August, 1915, the Russian Ministry of Finance arranged a large series of competitions open to the world in respect to (1) methods of utilising spirit or alcohol or their products; (2) of new substances for denaturing spirit or alcohol for industrial purposes. The prizes offered will certainly induce chemists to devote attention to the-problem. They are: 1. Three prizes of 60,000, 30,000, and 10,000 roubles respectively will be awarded for tho invention of a novel means of adapting alcohol for the preparation of such a product as shall by its nature absolutely differ from the spirit'from which it is made—e.g., vinegar, ether, chloroform, etc.

2. Three prizes of 50,000, 20,000, and 5000 roubles respectively will be awarded for the invention of a novel method of utilising spirit for the preparation of a product—e.g., a pharmaceutical or perfumery preparation—of which spirit or its products.—sulphuric ether, etc.—will appear as one of its component parts or dissolvent, providing that spirit cannot be extracted profitably from the product. 3. Three prizes of 30,000, 15,000, and 5000 roubles respectively will be awarded for the invention of a novel method of utilising spirit in productions where spirit or its products would serve as temporary intermediary dissolvents of either the extracted or precipitated materials—e.g., in the manufacture of smokeless powder, artificial silk, etc. 4. Further prizes ranging from 75,000 to 5000 roubles will be awarded for the invention and perfection of apparatus for the utilisation of spirit as motive power, fuel, or illuminant. 5. The competition of new substances for denaturing spirit or alcohol is being organised with the object of extending the use of spirit for technical purposes, and accordingly three prizes of 30,000, 15,000, and 5000 roubles respectively are offered for finding novel denaturing materials for improving the existing methods of denaturing, Avhich, "whilst guaranteeing the free use of denatured spirit, would obviate any possibility of using it as a beverage. Such a splendid series of rewards should induce chemists to undertake researches in the directions indicated, and it is to be hoped that most of the problems which are propounded will be solved ere long. At present alcohol may be produced from any substance containing sugar or starch by fermentation and distillation. In large distillery plants in Britain 95 per cent, alcohol probably costs about 9d per gallon to produce (which means about 5d for proof spirit), or, with the addition of the methylated alcohol required by law to denaturise it, about lOd to lid per gallon. But in future, cellulose will probably be the cheapest source of alcohol, and, by various processes already patented, a ton of wood shavings will yield from 120 to 240 gallons. When the subject has been thoroughly worked out, alcohol for industrial purposes should cost, not more than 4d to Ed per gallon. Another series of researches already partially undertaken by the Agricultural Department deals with the improvement of the various strains of plants cultivated for food and fodder purposes. Much has been done already in improving breeds of plants and animals. The latter is very largely undertaken by private breeders, and is fostered by agricultural shows and competitions. The animal frame lends itself to development to an extraordinary extent, and by careful selection results can be attained which are absolutely incapable of production under natural conditions, where the competition for food and shelter and the mere struggle for existence eliminate all but the strongest types. But with artificial selection, feeding, and shelter most remarkable results are obtained. Somo animals are mere machines for producing beef, mutton, and pork; others convert nearly all their food into milk or eggs, as the case may be; others produce wool, etc. But with plants the results are not so readily- seen, though the organisms are just as plastic and the variations just as great. So with them the best means of encouraging plantselection is by the endowment of suitable plant-breeding establishments. Such work is being carried on very thoroughly by the agricultural departments of many of the American States at their numerous experimental farms. Occasionally a private firm, like Carton's, takes up this work, and succeeds in producing breeds and strains of various plants—e.g., wheat, oats, grasses, etc., —which have gained a world-wido reputation for their heavy yields. But the subject will repay far greater development, and no money could be better expended by the Stale than by the encouragement of the best strains of plants and animals. This is not a question of theory but of hard facts and figures, only, as the results do not show themselves at once, they are apt not to appeal to the carpetbag politician If Ave take the approximate figure 1 ? for, say, 1914, and assume that by careful seed-selection and plantbreeding the yield of agricultural produce for the Dominion could bo increased by only 1 per cent., which is an absurdly

low estimate, then for wheat the annual increase would be over 50,000 bushels, for oats 150,000 bushels, for barley 12,000 bushels, and for potatoes 1500 tons. These, at a moderate estimate, . would represent considerably over £40,000 of an increase. If the same results were achieved for grasses and other fodder plants the figure would have to be multiplied several times. If every 1 per cent, of increase only represented this sum,_ it is easy to see what would be the result for increases of 10-or 15 per cent., which are only normal in plant-breeding. But it is not only increased yields of seed, roots, or fodder that can be aimed at by the plant-breeder. Increased power of resistance to cold, drought, overmuch moisture', insect, and fungoid pests can also be aimed at and attained to a large extent. Rust-proof oats and blight-proof potatoes are only some of the things which can be produced by careful selection. Only, the work must be undertaken in the spirit of true and sustained resear-ch, and not in any haphazard fashion. Tho various schemes should be worked out in a far more thorough manner than has hitherto been attempted, and the results require to be weighed, measured, and estimated in many directions. What I mean is that much greater attention to biological and other details is required than has hitherto been given to this problem. Thus it may be desired to increase the yield of an oat by 10. or 20 per cent., and this may be successfully achieved, but it may be found that the selected strain is more liable to rust or other fungoid diseases than the parent form, or the grain shakes out more readily or is more difficult to ripen, or it fetches a lower price than another variety, and so on. Variation probably never takes place in one direction only ; it is nearly always correlated with variations in other directions, and these require the most careful study. This fact is well known to animal-breeders, but it has. not been so fully recognised bv plant-breeders, except in the case of garden plants. It is a fact, however, which has to be taken into account in' all such work. The above are only a few of the directions in which research can be directed with great advantage to the improvement of agriculture, but the list can be extended indefinitely.