BRITISH RESEARCH

Chronicle (Levin), 3 September 1946, Page 8

BRITISH RESEARCH

(Special Correspondent.)

BENEFIT TO NEW ZEALAND

Received Monday, 7 p.m. LONDON, Sept. 2. After visiting a number of leading agricultural research institutes and universities in England, Scotland and Wales, Sir Theodore Rigg, director of Cawthron Jnstitute, Nelson, returned to London impressed by tlie very valuable wurk being done in these institutions, particularly by British research into the problems of soil deficieneies. These last have a direct beariug upon siinilar problems encountered in tlie pumice and granite soils of botli isJands of New Zealand. The niost important work 011 a diagnosis of deficieneies of miiior elements in soils, was being done at East MaJling Research Station and Macauley institute of Soils, Aberdeen, said Sir Theodore. Considerable progress had been inade in tracing deficieneies Iikely ,to alfect botli plants and animals, and defLciencies of nianganese, magcsium and iron identified in a number of different crops in various paris of England. It was particularly interesting to iind that the Animal Diseases Division in Edinburgh and Macaulay Jnstitute, had both discovered cobalt deficieneies in granite soils in Scotland, in eertaii^ parts of the Cheviots aiul in the calcareous soils of the Island of Tyree and Lnner Hebrides. It was this same dcficiency which was responsible for wasting disease among cattle and sheep pastured on some New Zealand pumice soils and which was also identified in granite soils in parts of the South Island. Unfortunately, owing to the presenee of much glacial drift among the many geological formations" found in tlie British Isles, soil survey work was difficult and 'had not yet progressed as far in Britain as in New Zealand. However, soil survey research was now being reorganised and proposals for the establishment of a Soil Survey Division under Dr. Muir at Rothamsted Experimental Station, should result in considerable extensions of this important work in Britain. Macaulay Institifte was employing a system of spectroscopic identification of soil deficiences whiph would have useful results when applied in New Zealand. In addition to work on soil deficieneies, Sir Theodore said he was impressed by the extensive fertiliser experiments being conducted at Rothamsted. These experiments were giving a broad picture of fertiliser requirements of dift'erent crops under a rotational system of grazing. Very detailed studies were also being carried out at Long Ashton into the nutrition of fruit trees, small fruits and vegetables, and valuable research into

animal nutrition problems was being done at Rowett Institute, Aberdeen. British research institutes were better ecpiipped than those in New Zealand particularly for the spectroscopic examinatioii of soils and plants. The institutes were staffed by highlv qualified men and were able to undertake more fundamental studies than was at present possible in New Zealand. tStrong financial support was given by tlie British Government to this work, both through f lie Ministry of Agriculture and Agricultural Research Council. This support was given quite impartially to Government institutions, universities and independent research organisations suqh as Rotjiamsted, .Rowett and Macau'leyV V. . 4 » g / 1 He-fstas - Lp? evrerywhere "in^ Brilaih/'tkiit" tlid -work" of tNew JZea-,fandf-ag;i'i^uittcrai science investigairors . was . held in very high esteem and its impbrtance recognised not ouly to New Zealand but also to agricultural science as a whole. It was tbe general impression in Britain tliat New Zealand had done exeeptionally well in the application of science to tlie problems of agriculture. He was liopeful, if the recommendations of tlie recent Imperial .Scientific Conference were implementcd by the various Governments, tliat an interchange of sc.ientists between Britain and other ^ parts of the Empire would be great ly faeilitated. It was most necessary not only that New Zealanders should liave frequent opportunities to study British metliods but also that senior British investigators should also have frequent opportunities to go to eountries sucli as New Zealand to study their problems on tlie spot. Ile was also c.onvinced that as well as New Zealand had done, more and better equipnient was needed as we,l as a more attractive salarv and superannuation scale in order to attract tlie best qualified men. Sir Theodore Rigg is going to New Zealand about September 18th.