PRESS AND OTHER CRITICISM 157 



that could be obtained by no other means. The 

 reports received from growers showed that there 

 were instances, too many to be accounted for by 

 chance, in which results of the same order as those 

 gained in the laboratory were obtained, but under 

 glass and in the field. I considered then, as I con- 

 sider still, that it was desirable in the interests of 

 agriculture that extensive field experiments should 

 have been carried out by farmers, as the evidence 

 indicated that in nitrobacterine there was a new 

 means available for increasing the returns that could 

 be won from the soil, and that it was only by experi- 

 ments conducted on a large scale that it would be 

 possible to determine the best conditions for its use. 

 Seven years have gone by since nitrobacterine was 

 tested on at all a considerable scale, and during that 

 period there has been a marked change in scientific 

 opinion. There is still scepticism in many quarters, 

 but whereas in the early days Professor Bottomley 

 stood almost alone in this country in advocating the 

 practical use of inoculation, he has to-day a con- 

 siderable body of expert opinion that is with him. 

 Experience with nitrobacterine has resulted in what 

 might have been expected. Certain of the con- 

 ditions necessary for successful inoculation are now 

 understood. In humogen a means of introducing 

 the bacteria has been discovered, which very 

 materially reduces the risk of negative results. The 

 Board of Agriculture and Fisheries has recognized 

 the value of the work by making a grant in aid of 

 the researches, and the time is ripe to-day for the 

 conducting of experiments on a large scale. To 



