April 20, 191 1] 



NATURE 



265 



modified, but not discarded, by still further investiga- 

 tions. 



In Section C, Prof. Marshall dealt with the " Basin of 

 the Pacific Ocean." There were, he said, various theories 

 as to its origin. It had been suggested that it was the 

 ir left by the moon when it came away from the earth ; 

 1 1 the hollow had been actually inherent in the pear- 

 iped form the earth took on cooling ; and that it was 

 subsidence area which had existed since the Triassic 

 p. liod, that part of 'the earth's crust having fallen in 

 owing to shrinkage. It had been supposed that a land 

 bridge existed between New Zealand and South America 

 • so long ago, so as to explain the resemblances between 

 flora and fauna of tropical South America and New 

 iland. The differences of opinion as to the age and 

 manence of the basin were as great as those in regard 

 its structure. Little certainty can be got at present, 

 uctural, rock, and depth characteristics support the 

 .1 that the real boundary of the south-west Pacific passes 

 liirough New Zealand, Kermadec, Tonga, Fiji, the New 

 Hebrides, the Solomons, and the Admiralty Islands. This 

 )I)osition practically coincides with biological knowledge 

 to plant and animal distributions within the area. The 

 i.uid connections or approximation took place, he con- 

 sidered, in late Mesozoic or in the Pleistocene times — 

 probably the latter. The eastern Pacific Islands are 

 different in structure, nature, and origin from the lands 

 on this line, and have been peopled by chance immigrants 

 from them. The keen controversies upon all matters of 

 interest to New Zealand geology are, however, only to be 

 expected. The land is so isolated, and the views of 

 geologists have been largely based upon other countries. 

 But at the next meeting of the congress there should be 

 more knowledge available, for there is at present a move- 

 ment on foot to make an expedition to all the eastern 

 groups of islands in the Pacific, and to gather material 

 for a better scientific description than there has been 

 so far. 



In Section D, Mr. F. M. Bailey gave some notes on 

 indigenous plant life. He dealt interestingly with the 

 longevity of seeds. A great deal depends upon the climate 

 in which the seeds are kept. Seeds near the tropics soon 

 lose their vitality, whereas those in a drier climate retain 

 it for a period extending in many instances over quite a 

 number of years. Mr. Bailey pointed out that the usual 

 method of calculating the age of a tree by the concentric 

 rings could not be relied upon in Queensland, for in some 

 seasons more than one might be formed, while in others 

 one might not be made in one or more years. Reference 

 s made to the tenacity of life among indigenous grasses 

 I circumstance in which Australia is unique. During 

 certain times of drought trees have been killed, and on 

 digging up one of the supposed dead grasses it showed 

 not a sign of life, but with the advent of rain the whole 

 country, in the course of a few weeks, would be waving 

 with' grass, not alone from seed, but from these supposed 

 'd roots. Some interesting remarks were made upon 

 jtorts " in plant life, Mr. Bailey, who had had a long 

 experience as a cultivator of plants, expressing the opinion 

 that most of the indigenous plants termed varieties owed 

 their variation to " sporting " rather than to sexual repro- 

 duction. 



Prof. G. C. Henderson in Section E put forward a 

 " IMea for Colonial Historical Research." The time has 

 now arrived, he said, when the history of the Common- 

 wealth should be undertaken in a systematic and scientific 

 ■way, and the institutions through which that might be 

 done are the universities. The historical work done in 

 Australian centres is preparatory, and should find its fulfil- 

 ment in research. The best material for research is now 

 .available, and by means of scholarships, and especially 

 open scholarships, the right men can be found. Prof. 

 Henderson said that the only comprehensive history of 

 Australia that was based upon a perusal of original and 

 ♦^'■'istworthy material was vitiated from beginning to end 

 the author's determination to prove that the aborigines 

 re victimised by rapacious politicians and squatters. 

 In Section F no presidential address was delivered, as 

 tho president, Mr. E. Tregear, was at the last moment 

 ible fo leave New 2Jealand. 

 Mr. E. W. Fowles, the president of Section Gi, gave 



NO. 2164, VOL. 86] 



an address on unemployment. From a mass of theories 

 and discussions, said Mr. Fowles, several principles seemed 

 to rest on solid ground, (i) Every man should be given 

 a chance of employment — -but not necessarily continual 

 chances. (2) Sentimental treatment of unemployment is 

 futile ; the time has come for scientific handling of the 

 problem. (3) The problem is more than local ; it is 

 national. (4) Different conditions obtaining in different 

 countries require different remedies. (5) There is no one 

 cure-all. The theorists who imagine a land tax or any 

 other one reform will automatically eliminate the un- 

 employed have been completely discredited. (6) Although 

 there are special conditions in different localities, the sanrfe 

 causes produce the same results the world over. Having, 

 thus stated the set principles, the president went on to 

 say that the points still debatable were that every work- 

 man has a claim on the State to be provided with work^ 

 and that the unemployed are a necessary and permanent 

 factor in our present industrial system. For the purpose 

 of scientific treatment, the unemployed might be divided 

 into two classes, those temporarily without regular employ- 

 ment, and those permanently without regular employment. 



The relat'on of science to the further development of 

 Australian agriculture was dealt with by Mr. W. Angus- 

 in Section G 2. Mr. Angus commenced by showing the 

 •progress made in wheat-growing and stock production in. 

 Australia. He pointed out that between the years i860 

 and 1868 the increase in area under crop was very large — 

 larger than for the past twenty years. The average yields- 

 were quite as good, if not better, than they had been for 

 the last eight years. The development, so far as wheat 

 production was concerned, has been more in the direction 

 of extending the area under crop than in any very marked 

 increase in the yield resulting from improved methods of 

 agriculture. He referred to the introduction of fertilisers 

 and the use of the drill, and the great improvement they 

 have made in the industry. He went on to point out the 

 great need of research work to meet the special problems 

 of this country, and dwelt upon the want of finality under 

 the present separate State systems. Some problems are 

 causing a loss of thousands of pounds from year to year. 

 In the investigation of several of them really good work 

 has been done on individual lines, but it had been left 

 just at a stage in which it is of little practical use to any- 

 one. He then dealt with a number of the more urgent 

 of these problems in regard to which combined action was 

 highly necessary. *' Take-All " is rapidly spreading in 

 Australia, and it is most desirable to do something at this 

 stage to check it. " Bitter Pit " in apples, a disease not 

 yet investigated, is causing great loss to the fruit industry, 

 and requires immediate attention. 



Referring to " dry-farming," he directed attention to the 

 way the wheat areas are being extended into the country 

 of light rainfall, and said that if the Australian farmer 

 could grow wheat profitably in, say, more than 2,000,000 

 acres of land in each of the four wheat-growing States, 

 then this is a matter which ought to be taken up without 

 delay, and with some of the spirit and in the business- 

 like manner that practical men and men of science are 

 doing in America. 



America has instituted a system of soil surveys, the 

 envy of every progressive agricultural community. That 

 work of this kind should be of value to the Australian 

 producer must be evident to all, and what is most needed 

 before anything is undertaken is an agreement among the 

 States as to a definite system, so that from the commence- 

 ment they might be working on similar lines. 



Among other things needing attention is the work of 

 wheat improvement by selection and cross-breeding. Then 

 there is the investigation of such diseases as " Dry Bible " 

 and red rust in wheat, and the raising of varieties immune 

 from attack. There is also the question of strength in 

 flour, and the fixing of a uniform method of determining 

 same, the process of nitrification under .Vustralian con- 

 ditions, the arrangement of a more uniform system of 

 experimental work, and the comparison and publication of 

 results, investigation into the quality and composition of 

 surface and artesian waters as regards their suitability or 

 otherwise for irrigation. 



What is wanted is not a Royal Commission to report, 

 but a bodv of trained workers to tackle the matter on 



