January 20, 1922] 



SCIENCE 



65 



for investigation of agricultural problems and 

 for applying our best knowledge of the prin- 

 ciples of chemistry, engineering, biology, so- 

 ciology, and economics to the production, dis- 

 tribution, and consumption of food and of 

 the raw materials of manufactui-e. The man 

 who by reason of his intelligence can take 

 advantage of our knowledge not only to make 

 two ears of com grow where only one grew 

 before, but to make those two ears higher in 

 their nutritive value or to convert a higher 

 percentage of their food value into ultimate 

 human energy through the mechanism of a 

 steer, a pig, or a grist mill and bakery, will 

 make his mark and will render a service to 

 humanity in which he can take solid satisfac- 

 tion. There are scores of careers open in con- 

 nection with the many, many unsolved or 

 partially solved agricultural problems for 

 young men and young women who have the 

 brains and educational equipment to tackle 

 them. Eesearoh in agriculture not only adds 

 to the sum of human knowledge; it adds to the 

 amount we may have to eat, to the comfort 

 of the clothes on our backs, to the cheapness 

 of all these necessities, and to the amount of 

 money we may all have for the enjoyment of 

 the other things of life. 



Our knowledge of the physics and chemi- 

 stry and biology of the soil, for instance, needs 

 re-study in the light of the modern develop- 

 ment of these sciences and the perfection of 

 instruments and methods in these fields of re- 

 search. These newer methods must be applied 

 to the study of fertilizers and their action, and 

 to plant and animal nutrition. The fat solu- 

 ble A's and the water soluble B's must yield 

 their secrets. The problems of disease resist- 

 ance and immunity must be reinvestigated by 

 the newer methods now available. We must 

 ■ perfect instruments and methods for the study 

 of the ultra-microscopic organisms and dis- 

 ease producing agencies as the physicists have 

 done in the study of the atom and electron. 

 We do not yet know the causative agent of the 

 mosaic diseases which are becoming more des- 

 tructive to many of our important crops each 

 year. Peach yellows is almost as great a mys- 

 tery as it was in the beginning. We do not 

 know the causative agent of hog cholera and 



a number of other destructive diseases of live 

 stock. The newer chemistry and physics ap- 

 plied to the study of plant and animal physi- 

 ology are opening a new chapter in those 

 fields. Many obscure problems in storing and 

 transportation of perishable fruits and vege- 

 tables are yielding to these newer methods of 

 study. 



Plant and animal diseases reduce our food 

 producing efficiency fully 20 per cent, per 

 annum on the average. Our understanding 

 of them and the methods of controlling them is 

 still very imperfect. The whole field needs 

 reworking by men trained in the newer meth- 

 ods and in the light of our modern knowledge. 

 The idea of the fixity of species and their 

 special creation has only recently been laid 

 to rest. We are just entering the field of 

 genetics and plant and animal breeding. What 

 has been accomplished so far has depended 

 upon chance variation and selection. We are 

 only just beginning to unravel the laws gov- 

 erning variation and heredity. What powers 

 the greater and more exact knowledge may 

 give us we can only dimly conjecture now. 

 The new physics, chemistry, and biology are 

 yet in their infancy. They are our keys to 

 greater knowledge. Our modernly trained 

 scientist who is to devote himself to the build- 

 ing up of the new agricultural science must 

 have these keys at his command. He must 

 prepare himself with the same thoroughness 

 that the modern chemist or physicist prepares 

 for his work. He will need also to learn the 

 art and necessity of cooperation. One mind 

 cannot compass the whole field. The advance 

 of the future will be made largely by closely 

 cooperating groups of chemists, physicists, 

 biologists, pathologists, etc. The colleges and 

 universities must study and promote every 

 phase of this great problem. They must find 

 the leaders and the promising students and 

 provide them with all they need for their 

 work. The field is an attractive one for those 

 who desire to render great service and who 

 love the joy of discovering truth. The scien- 

 tists, the inventors, the teachers, the poets, 

 and the writers devote their energies to these 

 fields for the love of the work and the joy 

 that acknowledged accomplishment brings. It 



