December, 1912.] 



THE UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL AND AGRICULTURE. 



The University of Bristol, the youngest of our universities, has made 

 it evident that it intends to play an active part in the development of 

 agricultural education and research, says Nature of November, 1912. Some 

 two years ago the University associated itself with the Royal Agricultural 

 College, Cirencester, for purposes of higher education in agriculture, and 

 arrangements for the granting of degrees in that subject are now being 

 completed. 



The Board of Agriculture and Fisheries has recently notified its inten- 

 tion of making an annual grant of £500 to the college to enable it to 

 provide for research on questions relating to forestry for the west of 

 England area. 



The University has also recently associated with itself the National 

 Fruit and Cider Institute, which was established at Long Ashtou, near 

 Bristol, in 1903, to carry on investigations on fruit culture and cider- 

 making. This institution has been supported since its establishment by 

 annua) grants from the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries, the County 

 Councils of Devon, Gloucester, Hereford, Monmouth, Somerset and Wor- 

 cester, and the Bath and West of Eagland Agricultural Society- Its 

 association with the University is the result of an offer on the part of the 

 Board of Agriculture and Fisheries to the latter of an annual grant 

 approximating to £2,500 to provide for che establishment of one of the 

 agricultural research institutions contemplated by the Board in connec- 

 tion with the grant from the Development Fund available for the 

 promotion of agicultural research. 



The special subject of research allotted to Bristol is that of fruit- 

 growing, including the practical treatment of plant diseases. The offer of 

 the Board was conditional on the National Fruit and Cider Institute being 

 made the centre at which the work was to be carried on. In connection 

 with the scheme a capital expenditure of £10,000 has been estimated to be 

 necessary. Of this sura the Development Commissioners intimated their 

 willingness to provide 50 per cent., provided that the remaining half was 

 raised locally. Largely owing to the efforts of the Rt. Hon. Henry Hob- 

 house, Chairman of the Somerset County Council, the necessary money 

 has been subscribed. The expenditure is required for the purchase of 

 land and the erection and equipment of laboratories and other buildings at 

 Long Ashton, A department of agricultural and horticultural research 

 has thus been created, Mr, B. T. P. Barker, Director of the National Fruit 

 and Cider Institute, being appointed head of the department and Profes- 

 sor of Agricultural Biology in the University. Towards the upkeep of the 

 department the University is contributing an annual sum of £300, the 

 income of a gilt from the late Lord Winterstoke for the purpose of agri- 

 cultural research; and the income from other sources, including County 

 Council grants, is about £1,500. 



The department of chemistry in the Unversity i3 also taking part in 

 the work. In the biochemical laboratory, investigations on the tannins 

 of cider are proceeding in connection with the fruit research work. A 

 special grant from the Development Fund for the continuation of investig- 

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