354 



THE AGKICULTDRAL NEWS. 



XuVEMBEK 12. 1910. 



to be conducted by the appropriate member^^ "f the 

 laboratory staff. 



The body of academical scientists is generally 

 composed of men who have been trained in one of four 

 special aspects of natural science. They may be con- 

 cerned with the determination of the composition and 

 properties of substances employed in agriculture (Agri- 

 cultural Chemistry): with the study of plants of economic 

 importance (Botany); with ihe investigation of the 

 damage inflicted on crops by animals, particularly 

 insects (Entomology); or in studying the ways to pre- 

 vent the loss due to the lower forms of plant life (Mycol- 

 ogy). The problems which they investigate are sug- 

 gested in the course of their work, by a study of 

 the current literature of their subject, or by considera- 

 tion of the suggestions received from those in change of 

 field experiments in a large number of different 

 districts. In the case of the Entomologists and 

 Mvcoloeists, scientific investigations mav also be 

 necessitated by the occurrence of an epidemic attack 

 of some insect pest nr fungoid disease. It should, 

 however, be understood that it is not necessary 

 for such W(jrkers to possess, as part of their eijuipment. 

 a detailed knowledge of the conditions of agricultural 

 practice in any special district; what they need is to be 

 accurately informed of those conditions, in the places 

 where their advice is reipiired, in order that they 

 may be enabled to recommend the adoption of 

 the measures that are most suited to those condi- 

 tions It is here that those who are in charge of 

 experiment stations i^o.ssess a particular usefulness 

 in giving the specialist an accurate idea of the 

 circumstances in which his knowledge may be applied. 

 This knowledge is general. It only re(iuires to be 

 adapted in such a way as to apply to the problem which 

 is causing uneasiness to those who are engaged in 

 agricultural pursuits for the pur])ose of making a living. 



It is part ol' tlie function of the Liboratory staff to 

 keep itself thoroughly in touch with all the current 

 literature relating to the subject of scientific agricul- 

 ture, as well as to conduct research. This literature 

 must be correLvjted and disseminated, through the 

 medium of definite publications, in a form in which it 

 is of most service to the practical man. Besides ren- 

 dering available all the latest results of investigation.s 

 made in other parts of the world, the body of scientific 

 investigators must prepai'e-more technical articles set- 

 ting forth for the benefit of other similar bodies the 

 results of its own researches. 



The value of Co-operative effort hetween the various 

 types of men concerned with agricultural interests is 



well illustrated by the working of such departments as 

 those in India and the I'nited States. Institutions of 

 this nature are, bicjadly sjieaking. modelled on the 

 lines already indicated. The scientific staff is sub- 

 ilivided into groups of men concerned with the investi- 

 gation of problems connected with one branch of 

 science, only. Their results are conveyed through 

 middle men , and thus liecoiiie available to the far- 

 mer. It is clear that when such a department 

 requires to enlarge the sphere of its activities to 

 include a new area, it can do so to the best advantage, 

 not by increasing the personnel of its scientific staff, 

 but by adding to the numbers of the middle men 

 in its emjiloy. A body of specialists whose work in 

 intended to elucidate problems connected with agri- 

 culture in India has recently been assembled at the 

 Agricultural Research Institute at Pusa The results 

 obtained by them are jiublished, and so made available 

 to the various provincial departments and planters' 

 associations, and the scientific officers of these in.stitu- 

 tions direct the ajiplication of the results to the 

 conditions of cultivation which exist in their districts. 

 All such organizations are intended to direct and 

 economise the energy spent on scientific investiga- 

 tion, in order that the most satisfactory results may be 

 obtained for the minimum exjienditure of labour, 

 monev and time. 



RUBBER-TAPPING EXPERIMENTS IN 

 CEYLON. 



In the Tropical Ai/ricultiirist for August 1910, p. 98, 

 a review is given, by Mr. T. Fetch, of experiments that are 

 being made, iu tapping Hevea trees, at Henaratgoda, Ceylon. 

 The purpose of this review was to determine Low far former 

 interpretations of the results were justified. 



It will be well to give the chief conclusions reached by 

 Mr. Fetch, in view of their value, as far as they go. These 

 relate to (1) the yield of rubber from different parts of the 

 stem; (2) the relative value of different methods of tapping; 

 and (3) the yield obtainable by tapping at different 

 intervals. 



In regard to the first, it is stated that, as the experiment 

 stands, it appears to prove that the greatest yield i.s ol)tain- 

 ed l>y tapping at one(juarter the height of the tree from the 

 base. The result is interesting, but not final in character, 

 as it is vitiated by certain circumstances in the experiment, 

 and by abnormal j'ields in particular instances. 



The trials for determining the relative value of 

 different methods made it appear that, where trees are being 

 purposely injured liy tapping, in order to thin them out, 

 herring bone tapping on fiot/i sides of the tree is better than 

 the employment of the full spiral. 



In relation to the third matter, the final figures would 

 appear to show that tapping on alternate days jields more 

 latex than tapping every day; but an analysis of the results 

 shows that thi.s conclusion, at anj' rate, is untenable. 



