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JUNE 23, 1923] 
NATURE 
863 

blameworthy, especially when cherished by parents_ 
for their children. Sir Michael Sadler believes the 
movement has its counterpart in the movement 
towards greater freedom in self-government, and its 
deepest sources lie in a desire for liberty and the 
more generous development of human personality. 
Enlightenment and self-discipline are the two in- 
separable sides of a true liberal education. The force 
behind the desire for such an education is 50 powerful 
‘that it is the part of wisdom not to disregard it. 
He thinks that a liberal education begins away back 
in elementary education and extends beyond the 
limits of university education; that some of its 
indispensable factors cannot be tested by examina- 
tion; and that it may be secured through diverse 
curricula, provided that in every curriculum a 
humanising spirit prevails. 
Certain resolutions were thereafter submitted to 
the conference. After a lengthy and interesting 
discussion, in which a large number of delegates 
_ took part, the following motion was adopted: ‘‘ That 
~ representations be made to the Board of Education 
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_ elementary and higher education. 
urging the pressing need of further provision (by 
legislative change, if necessary) for the full-time 
education of boys and girls up to the age of sixteen, 
to include instruction of varying types.’’ To this 
was added an addendum in favour of the pressing 
need of joint action between elementary and secondary 
branches of the Board of Education with the view 
of such provision and the closer combination of 
It is perfectly 
evident that there exists a large body of opinion in 
Yorkshire strongly in favour of greater facilities for 
education beyond the age of eleven and up to the 
age of sixteen. It is not so clear that opinion has 
definitely crystallised out as to the form this educa- 
tion should take. County Alderman Jackson, chair- 
man of the West Riding Education Committee, 
expressed the opinion that the atmosphere of the 
mine and factory is not suitable for children between 
fourteen and sixteen; at that\age they should be 
in cultured surroundings, and without doubt he 
expressed the views of an overwhelming majority 
of those present. 
On the question of greater variety in curricula a 
discussion arose as to the desirability or otherwise 
of creating a new type of school in which instruction 
might be given of a kind different from that now 
normally offered in the secondary school. It was 
argued with some cogency that such a school might 
come to be looked upon as a school inferior in grade, 
‘providing an education of an inferior type, not- 
withstanding the suitability of the courses of in- 
struction provided by it for the particular purpose. 
There is the danger, too, of segregating one class of 
children. Undoubtedly the great bulk of the pupils 
who would attend such schools would be drawn from 
the elementary schools. It is quite evident that many 
members of the conference would view with-disfavour 
any further differentiation of schools while accepting 
the principle of greater differentiation of curricula. 
Obviously to them the logical position is to demand 
a common name for all full-time education, whatever 
its type, between the ages of eleven and sixteen. 
Sir Henry Hadow, vice-chancellor of the Uni- 
versity of Sheffield, in an interesting speech 
introduced a motion which, while welcoming the 
greater freedom in the choice of subjects for the 
First School Examinations now allowed by the 
Joint Matriculation Board of the Northern Uni- 
versities, expressed the opinion that there should be 
greater freedom in regard to the groupings of courses 
for the Higher Certificate. The motion was agreed 
to unanimously. 
Rothamsted Experimental Station. 
ANNUAL VISITATION. 
At the invitation of Lord Bledisloe, chairman of 
the Lawes Agricultural Trust Committee, a 
number of guests representing various agricultural 
interests visited the Rothamsted Experimental 
Station on Wednesday, June 13, for the annual 
inspection of the fields and laboratories. 
he morning was occupied in a tour of some of the 
experimental plots, including two of the classical 
Belds—Broadbalk, on which wheat is grown con- 
tinuously, and Hoos, where barley is similarly grown. 
These have been for many years of the utmost value 
and interest to agriculturists in general, and the 
opportunity was taken to show the visitors some of 
the other plots laid down to test points that had, 
directly and indirectly, arisen from the results of 
these classical experiments. Among these may be 
mentioned the top-dressing series, designed to 
ascertain how the yield of the crop is influenced by 
spring dressings of artificial fertilisers applied in~ 
varying amounts and at various times; the malting 
barley series, in which the relation between malting 
value and manurial treatment is being examined ; 
and the residual value of different manures on the 
succeeding crops. On this latter field the crop this 
year is clover, and the beneficial effect of previous 
organic manures, in particular cake-fed dung, is most 
striking. 
After luncheon Lord Bledisloe briefly reviewed the 
purpose and recent progress of the Station. He laid 
stress on the care that is taken to avoid the erection 
of water-tight partitions between the scientific 
worker and the practical farmer, without in any way 
limiting the work of fundamental investigation, on 
NO. 2799, VOL. 111] 
which the application of science to agriculture is of 
necessity founded. Lord Bledisloe also referred to a 
number of the external activities of the Station, as 
indicative of the efforts made to keep in touch with 
the whole life of the countryside. 
Sir E. J. Russell, director of the Station, then gave 
his statement on the work of the Station during the 
past year. The reorganisation of the laboratories 
has been completed, and the experimental work on 
the farm will shortly follow suit. Very considerable 
progress has been made in extending the outside 
centres: the experimental fields on the Woburn 
Farm are now in charge of Rothamsted, and Dr. 
Voelcker, who for many years has been in charge at 
Woburn, has consented to continue the work. 
Through the generosity of Mr. E. D. Simon, the use 
of an extensive farm—Leadon Court, Herefordshire 
—has been given to the Station, and under the 
management of Mr. J. C. Brown an extensive trial 
of the soiling system is being carried out. In addi- 
tion, the Station has many centres on farms through- 
out the country, at each of which a repetition of a 
carefully designed experimental programme is being 
carried out. By this means it is possible in a com- 
paratively short time to obtain trustworthy informa- 
tion on the degree to which the results of field trials 
at Rothamsted are modified at centres possessing 
different soil and climatic conditions. The work is 
being carried out at present on malting barley and 
potatoes with especial reference to the action of 
artificial fertilisers, and wherever possible the aid 
and support of the industrial organisations concerned 
have been enlisted. 
