New Zealand Institute Science Congres!<. 195 



One more example out of the many subjects cryinji' aloud for research 

 m this country and I have done. Our cultivated jilants of all kinds are 

 subject to attacks of parasitic fungi, the majority of which are considered 

 identical with those affecting similar plants in other countries. For the 

 suppression of such fungi many fungicides have Ix-en devised, especially in 

 France and America. Now, that these methods have been successful on 

 trees in the country of their origin does not say that siniilar methods will 

 serve equally well here. A certain apple-tree growing in California will 

 probably differ from the same variety grown on the clay soil of Nelson. 

 The efiect of the fungus on such a New Zealand tree and the life-history 

 of that fungus must be studied in New Zealand ; so, too, must be investi- 

 gated the use of the fungicide. This method of attacking the pests 

 of fruit-trees bv means of fungicides and insecticides costs the State of 

 California alone about £400,000 per annum. At best it is a rather clumsy 

 way of dealing with the pests. It is exactly a case in point with regard 

 to pure and applied science. Pure science paved the way by first classifying 

 and then finding out the life-histories of the fungi ; pure science had also 

 to devise by aid of much experiment the beautiful technique with regard 

 to pure cultures, and so on, which can now be learnt in the laboratory. 

 Then pure science devised fungicides, and finally applied science is brought 

 into the orchard in the form of the spray pump and its contents. But 

 is science content to rest at this stage ? Is she not eagerly seeking to find 

 out more about the relation of fungus and host, more about the cause of 

 parasitism ? Here comes in the plant-physiologist, who seeks to find out 

 more about the actual life jjrocesses of the plant, whose ultimate aim is 

 perhaps to discover what is life itself. This latter problem seems well- 

 nigh hopeless, but long before the problematical success is achieved science 

 will know so much about the plant that new methods of combating disease 

 will be in the hands of every orchardist. The Cawthron Institute of 

 Scientific Research could easily spend all its income on investigations with 

 regard to plant-diseases, but it would not be performing its full scientific 

 duty if it were not carrying out plant-physiological researches with regard 

 to the living tree as it grows in the orchard, and thus working not for the 

 present day alone but for posterity. This, I take it, is also the attitude of 

 the New Zealand Institute and should be the attitude of this Dominion. 

 Not for the present alone but for the future must this New Zealand of ours^ 

 our beloved country^ — strive with might and main if she is to become truly 

 great. 



