59 



Agriculture and perhaps the expense of a large number of the State 

 Experiment Stations could also be included. 



As regards the natural enemies or predaceous insects, there is an 

 immense field for the scientist, and he has not been slow to enter it. 

 Only a short time ago it was thought that the orange industry of Cali- 

 fornia, which, as every one knows, is worth millions of dollars to the 

 state, would be totally destroyed by a little insignificant scale insect 

 imported through carelessness from Australia. All efforts to eradicate 

 the pest by poison and similar treatments proved fruitless, so that as a 

 last resort an endeavour was made to bring from Australia some of its- 

 insect foes. At last one was found, and mainly throu^ih the efforts of 

 the Department of Agriculture it was brought to California, bred, and 

 liberated. The result has been akin to magic, for where a short time- 

 ago millions of these sctle pests were sapping the life from the trees,, 

 there is scarcely one to be found to-day. The orange industry of Cali- 

 fornia has been saved, and no doubt this one act justifies every cent that 

 will be expended for economic entomology for years to come. 



Thus the warfare goes on, and if this hasty glimpse of the manner 

 in which it is conducted shall suffice to convince a few of our readers- 

 that science is not standing idly by in the matter, we shall feel that our 

 eff'ort has not been in vain. 







NATURE KNOWLEDGE TEACHING. 



On page 33 an expression of opinion has been given with reference 

 to teaching agricultural principles in schools by means of experimental 

 work on plants in flower pots and plots of ground as distinct from farm 

 work. 



Prof. Robert Wallace, professor of agriculture and rural economy 

 in the University of Edinburgh, according to Nature^ in the main 

 agrees with this, but does not agree with the suggestion of the Agricul- 

 tural Education Committee that, in connection with elementary schools,, 

 provision should be made for practical work on plots of ground attached 

 to the schools. In an address delivered a few weeks ago on Nature 

 Knowledge Teaching introduced by the Scotch Code of 1899 " (Edin- 

 burgh : The Darien Press), he showed that many educational authori- 

 ties at home and abroad are of the opinion that farm work at school as 

 a means for training the sons of those who are engaged in agricultural 

 pursuits is impracticable and valueless. Such work would only be 

 playing at farming, and would not rouse into full vigour the real work- 

 ing power of a boy any more than playing at shops develops a know- 

 ledge of the laws of commerce. What is wanted is individual interest 

 and responsibility, and a knowledge of principles. The practical work 

 which might usefully be done is stated by Prof. Wallace as follows : — 



(a) Laboratory work, the collection of specimens of all sorts of suitable 

 interesting objects, to form local school museums and home collections. 



(b) The systematic examination of specimens by the aid of lenses and 

 other means, (c) The growth, for experimental purposes or for orna- 

 ment, of a great variety of seeds, and of a select number of plants from 



