CHAPTER XII 



PRESS AND OTHER CRITICISM 



Early hostile criticism Lines of attack Sound basis of criticism 

 Need for experiment Growth of opinion in favour of 

 inoculation Support from the Board of Agriculture 

 Royal Society of Arts meeting Two opinions of experts 

 Press criticisms. 



THERE has been no lack of criticism of the work done 

 by Professor Bottomley on Nitrogen-fixing organ- 

 isms. Of this it is possible for me to speak person- 

 ally with some authority, as it has been my business 

 as a journalist ever since the earliest publications 

 were made on the subject, not only to keep in touch 

 with the various stages of the work in King's College 

 Laboratory, but to make inquiries of agricultural 

 experts and others as to their opinion of the work. 

 I have also from time to time attended not only 

 popular meetings where the method has been ex- 

 plained, but also scientific meetings where the views 

 put forward have been discussed by critical 

 audiences. 



In the earlier years I heard a great deal of hostile 

 criticism; it was criticism of the sort that is in- 

 valuable to the journalist, given to him in confidence 

 for the guidance of his paper. I was advised repeat- 

 edly to be very cautious in what I wrote; I was 



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