406 



NATURE 



[September 21, 191 1 



but whether heterozygosis, or complementary action, is at 

 work, our experience of cross-breeding in general makes it 

 practically certain that genetic factors of special classes 

 only can have tliese properties, and no pains should be 

 spared in identifying them. It is not impossible that such 

 identification would throw light on the nature of cell 

 division and of that meristic process by which the repeated 

 organs of living things are constituted, and I have much 

 confidence that in the course of the analysis discoveries will 

 be made bearing directly both on the general theory of 

 heredity and on the practical industry of breeding. 



In the application of science to the arts of agriculture, 

 chemistry, the foundation of sciences, very properly and 

 inevitably came first, while breeding remained under the 

 unchallenged control of simple common sense alone. The 

 science of genetics is so young that when we speak of 

 what it also can do we must still for the most part ask for 

 a long credit ; but I think that if there is full cooperation 

 between the practical breeder and the scientific experi- 

 menter, we shall be able to redeem our bonds at no 

 remotely distant date. In the mvsterious properties of the 

 living bodies of plants and animals there is an engine 

 capable of wonders scarcely yet suspected, waiting only for 

 the constructive government of the human mind. Even in 

 the seemingly rigorous tests and trials which have been 

 applied to living material apparently homogeneous, it is not 

 doubtful that error has often come in by reason of the 

 individual genetic heterogeneity of the plants and animals 

 chosen. A batch of fruit trees may be all of the same 

 variety, but the stocks on which the variety was grafted 

 have hitherto been almost always seminally distinct indi- 

 viduals, each with its own powers of luxuriance or restric- 

 tion, their own root-systems, and properties so diverse that 

 only in experiments on a colossal scale can this diversity 

 be supposed to be levelled down. Even in a closely bred 

 strain of cattle, though all may agree in their "points," 

 there may .still be great genetic diversity in powers of 

 assimilation and rapidity of attaining maturity, by which 

 irregularities by no means negligible are introduced. The 

 range of powers which organic variation and genetic com- 

 P" i t ion can confer is so vast as to override great 

 dissimilarities in the conditions of cultivation. This truth 

 is familiar to every raiser and grower, who knows it in 

 the form that the first necessity is for him to get the right 

 breed and the right variety for his work. If 'he has a 

 wheat of poor yield, no amount of attention to cultivation 

 or manuring will give him a good crop. An animal that is 

 a bad doer will remain so in the finest pasture. All praise 

 and gratitude to the student of the conditions of life, for 

 he can do, and has done, much for agriculture, but the 

 breeder can do even more. 



When more than fifteen years ago the proposal to found 

 a school of agriculture in Cambridge was being debated, 

 much was said of the importance of the chemistry of soils, 

 of researches into the physiological value of foodstuffs, and 

 of other matters then already prominent on the scientific 

 horizon. I remember then intornolnting with an appeal for 

 some studv of the physiology of breeding, which I urged 

 should find a place in the curriculum, and I pointed out 

 that the improvement in the strains of plants and animals 

 had done at least as much — more, I really meant — to 

 advance agriculture than had been accomplished by other 

 means. My advice found little favour, and I was taken to 

 task afterwards by a prominent advocate of the new school 

 for raising a side issue. Breeding was a purely empirical 

 affair. Common sense and selection comprised' the whole 

 business, and physiology flew at higher game. I am. 

 theless, h.-inpv now to reflect that of the work which 

 is making the Cambridge School of Agriculture a force for 

 progress in the agricultural world the remarkable researches 

 and results of my former colleague, Prof. Biffen, based a 

 they have been on modern discoveries in the pure sciences 

 of breeding, occupy a high and greatly honoured place. 



In conclusion, I would sound once more the note with 

 which I began. If we are to progress fast there must he 

 no separation made between pure and applied science. 

 The practical man with his wide knowledge of specific 

 natural facts, and the scientific student ever seeking to 

 find the hard general truths which the diversity of Nature 

 hides— truths out of which any lasting structure' of progress 

 must he built — have everything to gain from free inter- 

 NO. 2 1 86, VOL. 87] 



change of experience and ideas. To ensure this community 

 of purpose those who are engaged in scientific work should 

 continually strive to make their aims and methods known 

 at large, neither exaggerating their confidence nor con-; 

 cealing their misgivings, 



" Till the world is wrought 

 To sympathy with hopes and tears it heeded not." 



UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL 

 INTELLIGENCE. 



Birmingham. — Dr. Alex. Findlay, special lecturer 

 physical chemistry, is resigning his post in consequence of 

 his acceptance of the chair of chemistry in the University 

 of Wales at Aberystwyth. 



Dr. Murray has resigned his post as assistant lecturer 

 and demonstrator in chemistry, having been appointed head 

 of the chemical and metallurgical department of Wolver- 

 hampton I 11 Imii al School. 



By the will of Dr. S. J. Gee, late physician to St. 

 Bartholomew's Hospital, the sum of about 20,oooI. is left 

 to his daughter for life, with contingent remainder to the 

 Royal College of Physicians, London, upon trust, so fan 

 as possible, to form a permanent endowment fund for the 

 college. 



The winter session of the London (Royal Free Hospital) 

 School of Medicine for Women will be opened on Monday, 

 October 2, with an introductory address by Sir Henry 

 Butlin, P.R.C.S., upon "Research in Medicine andl 

 Women in Medical Research." Mrs. Garrett Anderson, 

 president of the school, will occupy the chair. 



Mr. T. Harris, of the Imperial College of Science andl 

 Technology, and the Cavendish Laboratory, Cambridge, 

 has been appointed lecturer and demonstrator in the 

 physical department of the East London College tn< 

 succession to Mr. E. Marsden. Mr. P. Kemp has been 

 appointed lecturer in the electrical engineering department 

 of the same college. 



The exchange of professors between Harvard University 

 and the Ministry of Public Instruction in France comes 

 into effect this winter for the first time, and the Bulletin 

 of the American Geographical Society announces that| 

 Prof. W. M. Davis will go to Paris to lecture until the 

 end of March, after the International Congress at Rome 

 has ended. Prof. Diehl, of the Sorbonne, will go to 

 Harvard University to lecture on Byzantine history. 



A special course of twelve lectures on illumination is 

 to be given at the Polytechnic, Regent Street, during the 

 present session. The lectures, which will be under the 

 supervision of Mr. L. Gaster, editor of The IlluminotK 

 Engineer, will deal with all illuminants, including recent 

 advances in electric, gas, oil, and acetylene lighting; the 

 effect of light on the eye; tin hygienic aspects ol 

 illumination ; and the measurement of light and illumina- 

 tion. Practical problems, such :is tie lighting of schools, 

 streets, and factories, will be treated in the second half 

 of the course, commencing in January, 1912. Until 

 December 5 the lectures will be held on Tuesday veiling' 

 at 7.30, and during January and February next on Thurs- 

 day evenings at the same hour. 



Tim new session in the faculties of arts, laws, science, 

 engineering, and medical sciences at University College, 

 London, will begin on October 2. The list of public 

 introductory lectures at the college contains tin following, 

 among others : — Wednesday, October 4, Prof. II. R. Ken- 

 wood on " The Scope of School Hygiene and the I.egis- 

 lativi Provisions dealing with the School Child," being 

 the first of a course of lectures on school hygiene 

 designed for school teachers ; Friday, October fi. Prof. 

 G. Dawes Hicks on " Bergson's Conception of Creative 

 Evolution" (this lecture is designed as an introductfflB 

 t,i .1 course "t four public university lectures to be delivered 

 by Prof. Henri Bergson at University College on October 

 20, 21, 27, and 28). A course of public lectures on heat- 

 ing and ventilating engineering will be given by Mr. A. H. 

 Barker, the introductory lecture on Tuesday, October i", 

 being on " Problems in Heating and Ventilation awaiting 

 Solution bv the Engineer." On the same day Mr. E 



