ENTOMOLOGY IN FARMING.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20170, 24 February 1931, Page 5

ENTOMOLOGY IN FARMING.

ECONOMIC VALUE STRESSED. WIDE FIELD FOR RESEARCH. The importance of entomology in the economic welfare of New Zealand was stressed by Mr L, Morrison, B.Sc., lecturer in entomology at Canterbury College, in an interview with Tms Press last evening on his arrival from England. The economic application of the science has been properly developed only in the last decade, he said, and in such a country as New Zealand, where agriculture, forestry, and horticulture are. important interests, its study should prove of great practical use. '' In England, and to some extent in Scotland, we have had & great advance in the appointment by the. Government of advisory entomologists. who are attached" to the universities ■ and agricultural colleges and deal with the economic aspects of the science," explained Mr Morrison. "These advisers usually work side by sido with the university entomologists, carrying out experimental research and dealing with the problems which arise in the particular area where they are stationed. Farmers or horticulturists all take their problems to them. Their services are free, and they investigate any obscure cases with the assistance of the university man." Biological Control. This innovation had been of great practical benefit, and had appreciably developed the public interest in entomology. In New Zealand, from the nature of the country, the place of economic entomology should? bo even more important. Not only was agriculture the .Dominion's prime industry, but forestry and horticulture were both extensively practised; and in all three pursuits entomological research was most valuable. Mr Morrison instanced the researches into the sheep-fly and the prickly pear which had been undertaken in Australia; lr New Zealand, an important part of the work would be an investigation of biological control, the scientific term tor the introduction of insects to destroy other insects or agricultural pests such as California!! thistle. "Turning to pure entomology, there seems to be a wide fieM for research," he continued. "In New Zealand it has been a neglected subject. A great deal of work- hasr been done, but that by "only a "few men. "TUere "seems to -be ah extensive field for research of all kinds, and I hope to make -the work economically valuable. , At the same time, the complete difference of the New Zealand fauna from those in England makes me feel ■ almost .like a novice." Mr Morrison is to spend two "days in each week at Canterbury Agricultural College, Lincoln, where ho will specialise on the economic side of the , science particularly in relation to-agrl-' culture and forestry! t ; . ' in Medicine. He mentioned also the medical side of entomology, which is, studied by all students of, medicine, particularly those who were trained'for the tropical countries. The study of disease-bearing insects had been moBt" fruitful • ' Particularly after seeing the more modem buildings of,the.Auckland University College, Mr Morrison has formed a very favourable impression of the Canterbury College buildings. At 1 first glance, however, the equipment at his disposal has seemed hardly what it might be. Compared with' the libraries of the English universities, the College library had some deficiencies, ' particularly in modern books and j6ur? nals which it was necessary to study in order to keep pace with modern developments overseas. After the Great War had interrupted his studies for three and a half years, Mr Morrison graduated &t the University of Aberdeen in 1921. He was then appointed to the Btaff of the University, where he lectured in eoology under the late Dr. Bonnie for two years. ' He ' also taught agricultural' zoology; ' entomology, and parasitology, and nature study at the teachers' training centre. In 1923 he joined the staff of Armstrong College, of the" University of Dublin, where he lectured in the same , subjects. He left this appointment to I come, to Canterbury College.