27 i 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



Septembee S, 1917. 



-far enough ahead. Men are willing to acknowledge 

 the benefits that bring them immediate profits, but 

 for the most part they lack the power of imagination- 

 which would enable them to incur immediate expense 

 and trouble in order to obtain insight into the funda- 

 mental laws of their business, although such insight 

 would enable them, or future generations, to establish 

 their business on a better and more lasting foundation. 



This brings us to the cjuestion as to what is the 

 value of scientific I'esearch, sometimes referred to as 

 pure science, i.e. the seeking after knowledge for the 

 sake of the knowledge itself. Many men say that this 

 is of no use. They want to be taught how to do 

 things, 7toi" to improve the processes of their agricul- 

 ture or their manufacture, but they do not see the 

 need or utility of striving to find out the why of things. 

 This attitude of mind is not only unscientific, but 

 unintelligent. It is true that in the ultimate sense 

 the why of most things seems to be unobtainable, but 

 the function of .science is to be forever seeking for the 

 why, because only in this way can secure foundations 

 be laid for the carrying out in practice of how to 

 improve. Scientific research is directed to the advance- 

 ment of the knowledge of the laws of nature, i.e. wliy 

 it is that things are as they are, and not otherwise. 



A recent book, CV(.e7nicai Discovery and Inven- 

 ■tion in the Twentiet-li Century* gives the following 

 instance of an important practical application which 

 ihas arisen out of apparently recondite investigations, 

 ■supplying a satisfactory answer to those persons who 

 are often disposed to enquire as to the utility of 

 this or that piece of pure scientific work which seeks 

 to extend knowledge, without reference to the further 

 «se of it. 



The researches of Professor Sabatier, of Toulouse, 

 •on combinations of hydrogen effected by the catalytic 

 agency of finely ilivided metals, were begun in the 

 ■closing years of the last century, and have led to 

 ■unexpected applications for industrial purposes, which 

 ,have assumed a position of great practical importance. 

 Professor Sabatier has shown the chemist and 

 niannfdCturer how hydrogen can be made to unite 

 wiili a great diversity of materials by an easily carried- 

 out process, and at no prohibitive cost. 



Most vegetable oils, and some animal fats are 

 liquid under ordinary temperatures, and conse(iuenily 

 •of less value than the fats which are solid under the 

 .same conditions. Professor Sabatier made known that 

 it is only nicessary lo add finely divided porous nickel 



■"'('heinical Discovery and Invention in tlic Twcntietli 

 Century', by Sii-Willi«m.\ Tililen, F.R.S., D..Sc., LL.D.,Sc.L)., 

 Koutledge iV Co. 



to the oil, to heat it to a moderate temperature, and 

 to inject hydrogen gas into the mixture, in order to 

 harden the oil into a fat which is solid at common 

 temperatures. The resulting hardened fats are of 

 great commercial importance, being largely employed, 

 especially in soap and candle making. 



No sooner had Sabatier made known his 

 method than numerous patents were taken out by 

 other people, who thereby made great commercial 

 profits, but Sabatier himself failed to share in the 

 reward which might rightfully have been considered 

 his due. 



An instance like the above shows how applied 

 science really depends upon pure science or research- 

 Men who praise the practical achievements of applied 

 science but speak lightly of work in fundamental 

 research, are, it has been said, like men who congratulate 

 themselves upon the electric lighting in their houses, 

 and forget the power-house. Scientific research is the 

 power-house that supplies the initial energy to applied 

 science to which our modern civilization owes so much. 



Workers however in scientific research, like 

 Sabatier, receive scant rewards for their labours. For 

 the most part they are unrecognized, though other men 

 who, having been taught the ivhy of nature's processes 

 by the pioneers in research, turn that knowledge to 

 practical advantage, reap the rewards and often the 

 glory. 



At the present time, more than ever, there is need 

 of scientific research into numerous problems. During 

 the war, and after the war, the tvhy of many proc-sses, 

 industrial and agricultural, is being asked, and will be 

 asked. The men who devote themselves to scientific 

 research will devote themselves, as they have always 

 done in the past, to the elucidation of these problems. 

 They ought to be encouraged not only by the estima- 

 tion in which they are held, but by adequate rewards, 

 for the hope of reward sweetens labour. In Great 

 Britain the recently appointed Department of Scientific 

 and Industrial Research shows that the mind of the 

 public and the Government is awakened to the value 

 of co-ordinated scientific research. Such a body must 

 be of extraordinary force in this matter. For scientific 

 research, to have the fullest power, and to ,be of 

 the greatest advantage to human welfare in solv- 

 ing problems and in laying firm foundations for 

 practice, ought to be co-ordinated. Solitary workers 

 have done much in the past, but the association of 

 scientific workers obviates the waste of power which 

 arises from want of knowledge of what other men are 

 doing, thus enabling much more to be effected. 



