42 



AGRICULTURE AT CAMBRIDGE. 



On July 6th I transferred my headquarters to Cambridge, and I may say 

 that I soon found myself in most congenial atmosphere, an atmosphere that 

 has, I believe, been created within recent years by a handful of enthusiastic 

 workers. The Cambridge University has recently taken over a farm to be 

 worked in connection with its agricultural courses, which I think must do 

 much towards heightening their efficacy. The farm is as yet quite new and 

 in the make, and there is little, therefore, that can be said on the subject in 

 the way of criticism. I had occasion here to visit the plots of crossbred 

 wheats that are being raised by Professor BifTen. He is laboring hard after a 

 rust-resistant, strong flour wheat suited to British conditions. 



From a perusal of recent Cambridge literature I had come to the conclusion 

 that at Cambridge what is known as the Mendelian theory had become some- 

 thing like an obsession. When in the midst of the keen Cambridge scientific 

 agriculturists I realised that I had not been mistaken. One is apt to find 

 every natural phenomenon explained on the lines of this theory until we may 

 look to it for a solution of the riddle of the universe. Far be it from me to 

 deny to this theory all value ; nevertheless, I think that it is being very much 

 ridden to death. 



On the Cambridge farm I made the acquaintance of two Merino rams that 

 had come all the way from Australia, and very much fish out of water did 

 they appear. They are being used for certain experiments in crossing on 

 Mendelian lines ; indeed, I had a look over some of- the first crosses out of 

 Shropshire ewes. They were not unlike, on the whole, some of our cross- 

 bred lambs out of Merino ewes by Shropshire rams. Kesults of scientific 

 interest may perhaps arise out of these experiments ; I doubt, however, their 

 value in actual practice. 



Whilst at Cambridge I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. A. Henry, in charge 

 of the University Forest Department. I enjoyed his enthusiasm, and made 

 note of some suggestions of his as to possibly suitable forest trees for South 

 Australia. Among these he mentioned the yellow pine (Pinus ponderosa) of 

 the Western United States, which, according to him, is both drought-resistant 

 and adapted to relatively poor soils. Equally suitable, according to Mr. 

 Henry, is a Mexican pine (Pinus ayacahuite), Cupressus arizonica of Arizona 

 and California, and the Algerian ash (Fraxinus angustifolid). 



WOBURN EXPERIMENTAL FARM. 



From Cambridge, by invitation of Dr. J. A. Voelcker, I was able to run down 

 to Woburn and inspect the experimental work conducted there under the 

 auspices of the Koyal Agricultural Society. The field work was exceedingly 

 interesting. I was very much struck with the effects of the continuous use of 

 sulphate of ammonia in light soil of this character. The wheat plots thus 



