SECTION M.— AGRICULTURE. 



VETERINARY SCIENCE AND 

 AGRICULTURE. 



ADDRESS BY 



P. J. DU TOIT, B.A., Dr. Phil., Dr. Med. Vet., 



PRESIDENT OF THE SECTION. 



The mere fact that I have travelled more than 6,000 miles to come and 

 deliver this address here to-day, is perhaps sufficient excuse for me to 

 make a few personal remarks before embarking on the task which I have 

 set myself. When I received the cable from the Secretary of the British 

 Association stating that the Council invited me to become President of 

 Section M for this year, the feeling of bewilderment which I experienced 

 was only partly dispelled by the feeling of deep gratitude for the great 

 honour that had befallen me. I accepted the invitation without 

 sufficiently contemplating the consequences, but I did so with a firm belief 

 in the old German saying : 



' Wem Gott gibt ein Amt, 

 Dem gibt Er auch Verstand.' 



The honour which has been conferred upon me is not only personal. 

 In asking me to be President of this Section you have honoured, not an 

 individual, but a country ; on behalf of South Africa, therefore, I tender 

 my sincere thanks to you. I realise that it is not customary for the 

 British Association to go beyond the shores of these islands for Sectional 

 Presidents (nor is there any need to do so !) This year you made an 

 exception, and I regard it as a great compliment to the country of my 

 birth. 



I am further very sensible of the honour you have done my profession 

 by calling me to this high office. It is the first time that a veterinarian 

 has occupied this chair, and the sincere thanks of myself and my colleagues 

 are due to you for this signal honour. 



A year ago this Association met in South Africa and many of you then 

 had an opportunity of getting acquainted with the country, its problems 

 and its people. Agriculturally you saw a country which is rapidly dis- 

 carding the patriarchal and primitive methods of yesterday for the 

 scientific methods of to-day. You saw our many problems and the 

 necessity of applying all available scientific knowledge to their solution. 

 You saw a people anxious to learn from tne old parent countries in Europe 

 or the countries across the Atlantic. Our thirst for knowledge was partly 

 satisfied by your visit last year, and I wish to give you the assurance now 

 that that visit has been of inestimable and lasting value to South Africa 



