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CORRESPONDENCE. 



To the Editor of the Agricultural Bulletin, S. S. and F.M.S. 

 Dear Sir, 



I note in your issue of December, Vol. IX., No. 12, page 564, an 

 article on the Aynsome Laboratories, Lancashire. 



Without wishing to reflect in any way on the institution in 

 question — about which I know nothing —might I suggest that before 

 planters and others are advised to send agricultural products, etc., 

 to such an institution for investigation, some information be obtained 

 as to the working of the said institution ? 



Several colleges and scientific institutions at home at present 

 undertake analyses for farmers and others for purely nominal fees or 

 even for nothing. When such work is done in the interest of science 

 only nothing can be said against it. 



On the other hand, when such work is carried on by students 

 who are paying fees for their own instruction — and the results of 

 investigations are supplied to the public — these institutions are 

 encroaching on the work of professional analysts and others who 

 have to support themselves by means of their professions. Such 

 work is to be deprecated not only from the analyst's point of view, 

 but from the fact that such institutions may be, and are, using 

 public money which was never intended for such purposes, as stud- 

 ents are always able to obtain materials for analysis from other 

 sources. 



Yours faithfully, 



B. J. Eaton. 



[As Mr. Eaton says in his letter, there are various kinds of labo- 

 ratories undertaking the work of examining products, either for fees 

 or for scientific investigation. The value of such a laboratory as 

 the Aynsome one really lies in the fact that the firm with which it 

 is connected manufactures certain articles, and products likely to be 

 of use in such manufactures would probably get better attention 

 than they would from an ordinary analyst who is not in touch with 

 the trade. Thus one gets better informaiion as to say the value of 

 an oil seed from a soap manufacturer, than from any ordinary general 

 analyst, though his information may be of great value too. One of 

 the great values of the Imperial Institute is due to its being well in 

 communication with the commerce of the world. 



Frequently, too, it is of value to get opinions from various 

 workers in laboratories as to the value of any product that may 

 have a future. If one cannot find any use for it another may. The 

 story of lalang as a paper material, and its various analyst's opinions, 

 too long to recapitulate, but scattered through the Bulletin, is an 

 instructive example. The manufactures conducted by the laboratory 

 in question are clearly laid down, in the short article, and there is 

 nothing to show that the analyses or investigations arc carried on 

 by the students, but by the staff Ed.] 



