CAWTHRON INSTITUTE.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18201, 28 February 1929, Page 13

CAWTHRON INSTITUTE.

SUCCESSFUL OPERATIONS. By T«l«*r*nH — Preas Aaaociotion. NELSON, February 27. During the past year the work of the Cawtkron Institute, under the (urectiou ol Pro lessor Easterfield, has again been attended by gratifying success, and there has been considerable expansion in the scope ol the research problems undertaken (states the annual report). Acknowledgment is made of financial assistance from various sources, without which the activities would have been restricted. In the department of agriculture, all former lines of work in connection with soil survey, manurial experiments, crop cultivation, fruit culture, and cool storage have been vigorously prosecuted, while additional schemes, notably that for the investigation of the mineral content of pastures has been brought into full operation. In order to cope with the increased volume of laboratory work involved, an analytical chemist, Dr. Askew, has been added to the staff. important practical results, especially with regard to certain deficiency diseases of stock, on the Moutere Hills type of soil, have already been obtained. In another direction, experiments with Pakihi lands, which were commenced towards the close of 1927, have so far proved remarkably successful. If the experiments which are now being put in hand on a larger scale confirm the results already obtained on small plots, there is no doubt that h rg®' areas of land at present lying completely neglected, will at no distant date be brought into cultivation, and add greatly to the prosperity of the West Coast and Golden Bay districts. In the department of mycology, under Dr. Curtis, methods controlling “brown rot” have been evolved which will enable fruitgrowers practically to eliminate their losses from this source.

Fungal diseases affecting a large number of commercial plants, such as cereals, tobacco, hops, tomatoes, pip fruits and pines have been investigated, and valuable advice has been given to growers. The connection between fungal disease and malnutrition has received careful attention, and important deductions of practical benefit have been made.

Varieties of hops, tomatoes and various cereals appearing to be immune to specific diseases, have been either introduced from abroad, or selected from local gardens, and kept under observation. Several of these varieties have been found to be highly resistant to disease, and may therefore prove of great economic value. The position of chief of the entomological department, rendered vacant by the promotion of Dr. Tillyard to chief entomologist in the Commonwealth of Australia, was filled by the appointment of Dr. Miller, who had. already had a distinguished career in the service of the New Zealand Government. Assisted by Messrs Tonnoir and Gourlay, he has carried out a promising series of experiments to secure control of various noxious weeds and insects by means of parasites and sprays. A great measure of success lias been attained in dealing with pear midge, and the oak scale parasite is now well established in oak trees of Nelson and Canterbury, and is slowly but surely eradicating the pest. A parasite for mealy bug has been successfully introduced, and is now being bred in large numbers for distribution. The . life history of the bronze beetle has been fully worked out by Miss Lysaght, and control experiments with insecticides are being made. For many years attempts nave been made to import some parasite that w'ould attack various species of blowfly, especially those species that cause so much loss to sheep farmers. Dr. Miller is to be congratulated upon having at last -surmounted all difficulties, and the parasite “lalysia” is being despatched, not only to all parts of New Zealand, but to Australia as well.

Much attention has also been devoted to foresft entomology. Schemes for greatly extending the work of forest entomology are now under consideration. Many members of the staff have done important work in the domain of “pure science.”