THE RURAL WORLD.

King Country Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 362, 20 May 1911, Page 3

THE RURAL WORLD.

SCIENCE AND IMPORTED FOODS. In a recent lecture at Birmingham, Sir Oliver Lodge, lecturing on "The Electrification of Crops," touched upon many of the problems of production, and hinted at the big development looming in the future. The discoveries of Pasteur, he said, with regard to the action of micro organisms, had a bearing not only upon medical practice and the theory of disease, but likewise upon agricultrual practice and the theory of manuring. A multitude of facts were now coming to the front, which explained old practices ana suggested new ones, so that the farm became a laboratory of great importance, and life in the eounhry, so far from being dull, was ful of absorbing interest. Of the problems which were receiving and yet waiting attention, the absorption" of nitrogen by plant life was surely one of the chief, said Sir Oliver. The action of nitrifying bacteia in the soil, the influence and function of leguminous plants in the rotation of crops, the whole process of absorption, elaboration, and assimilation of sap, the chemical changes going on in the laboratories of the leaf under the influence of sunshine,and the discharge of elctricity from plant surfaces under the action of ultts violet light— a 1 i these had been recognised for a few years, though as yet they were imperfectly studied. But others of perhaps equal importance were coming to the front, and in combination with those be had mentioned they would powerfully affect the power of the British nation to feed itself and to lessen the extremely large amount of imported food. In time of war this power to feed ourselves might become crucial and essential to our existence. In time of peace it w T ould mean a great economy and a great liberation of national funds for other purposes, since what was grown out of the soil was clear profit, and the larger area we got under cultivation the wealthier in every wholesome respect tne nation would become. Discoveries lay before us in the direction of the reclamation of barren soils, the influence of strong sunshine, and of heat upon soil in preparing it for seed, and in the curious effect not only of burning, but of poisoning or disinfecting the soil, and thereby increasing its fertility. This last process had come to be understood now as having the effect of destroying opponents or devourers of the useful and co-operating bacteria. These opponents were more easily slain than the useful bacteria, and when they were killed the bacteria increased and multiplied to a prudigious extent, and the soil became far more fertile than before, In addition to this there was the problem of the electrification of the air above the growing plant. Such electrification always existed, and the pointed character of the leaves showed that it was made use of; but by artificial means it could be intensified, the plant stimulated, and the action of feeble sunshine accelerated and assisted by high tension electricity, purposely conveyed to the atmosphere, above the plant. But the means available for electrification were imperfect and feeble. Only recently had they been able to supply electricity of the amount desired in a fairly easy and permanent manner.

SOIL BACTERIA

As soon as Dr Russell, of the Rothamstead Experimental Station, England, announced that he was able to kill parasitical bacteria in the soil so as to allow the useful to multiply and do their beneficial work unmolested, Mr W. J. Colebatch, acting principal of the Roseworthy Agricultural College, South Austraila,_ and formerly lecturer on veterinary science at Canterbury Agricultural College, started a series of experiments to prove the value of the discovery under Australian conditions. A strip of land at the college was divided into eighteen plots, each containing l-160th of an acre. These were sown with King's white wheat without manure and were immediately top-dressed with sifted soil previously treated with varying quantities of different antiseptics. In two, carbon bisulphite was used in varying quantities, in two benzine, in three naphthaline, and in three phenol. A complete report of the trial will be awaited with interest. It will be probab;y found that the results will not be as startling as in cold countries like England or Canada. At Rotharnstead the crop returns were appreciably increased- These oenei ici a I bacteria require heat jn order to develop at their best, and Australian temperatures naturally assist them.

"BITTER PIT" IN T APPLES

The cabled statements that Dr Jean White and Professor Ewart, of Melbourne University, are believed to have discovered the cause of bitterpit in apples in certain spray used to destroy codlin moth will hardly be accepted with any degree of confidence in this country. It is reported that the Melbourne scientists are cautious in accepting the alleged discovery. They may bs well excused for their caution, as bitter-pit existed long before the present common spray employed for codlin moth existed, and the trouble has been found in apples produced on unsprayed equally with those grown on sprayed trees. It is to be hoped the investigators in question question will be aolc to arrive, at a definite solution of this dread disease, for it is as mysterious as it is destructive. The cause is not known and therefore preventive measures are not possible. Until the cause is discovered and a means devised of overcoming it bitter-pit will remain a serious menace to the export apple trade.

ADVANCING AGICULTURE

The Scottish Agricultural Commissioners raided a very interesting point on their return to Britain from Australia when they expressed their sue prise fit the wealthy agricultural companies of the Common wealth doing practically nothing for agricultural education. In this connection a comparison between the work of Continents! rural organisations and those of this country is most striking. In Germany, for instance, the big farmers' organisations promote and carry out educative undertakings which are left entirely to the Sate, and where the State takes the initiative the cooperative societies assist with both time and money. In a few instances agricultural and pastoral societies of this country are corning to realise that they have some ether: duty to perform than merely conducting an exhibition of live stock but their activity in regard to agricultural education is weak and spasmodic. The best thing so far done has been the assistance rendered to rural education by the provision of classes for the work of school gardens and technical schools in general the interest of the Palmerston Socitey in this move, ment being especially gratifying. Thebig live stock and finance companies, however, have apparently failed to realise that encouragement of agricultural education is a matter which is within their province. In this connection the direct shipping companies have set an excellent example, as indeed have several dairy produce firms, in providing handsome trophies for dairy produce competitions, though the money could be spent with greater advantage to the industry concerned. The National Dairy Association is developing into a mere trading institution. On the Continent such a society would be in the very forefront of educative movements for the benefit of the dairy industry providing scholarships, promoting herd-testing and breed societies and generally doing everything in its power to raise the standard of the industry it is supposed to foster. Generally there is too much leaning on the State for everything required in the way of reform, and when a thing is got apparently for nothing it is never appreciated at its true worth. Did our farmers contribute more through their co-operative organisations towards movements and institutions which have as their objective the advancement of their industry, they would take the necessary interest in them, and a healthier public spirit would be thus created in regard to agricultural education.

LUCERNE

Travellers by train on the Manawatu line may see an excellent lucerne field between the railway line and the road on the Wellington side of Porirua township. It forms part of the Porirua Mental Asylum. It provides a capital demonstration of the success with which this great fodder plant can be grown when a clean seed bed is provided. The Porirua patch is absolutely free of weeds and now carries a fine body of vegetation.