January, 1912.] 



51 



Miscellaneous. 



powers of assimilation and rapidity of 

 attaining maturity, by which irregular- 

 ities by no means negligible are in- 

 troduced. The range of powers which 

 organic variation and genetic com- 

 position can confer is so vast as to 

 override great dissimilarities in the con-f 

 ditions of cultivation. This truth is 

 familiar to every raiser and grower, who 

 knows it in the form that the first 

 necessity is for him to get the right 

 tree and the right variety for his work. 

 If he has a wheat of poor yield, no 

 amount of attention to cultivation or 

 manuring will give him a good crop. An 

 animal that is a bad doer will remain so 

 in the finest pasture. All praise and 

 gratitude to the student of the condi- 

 tions of life for he can do, and has 

 done, much for agriculture, but the 

 breeder can do even more. 



When more than fifteen years ago the 

 proposal to found a school of agriculture 

 in Cambridge was being debated, much 

 was said of the importance of the 

 chemistry of soils, of researches into the 

 physiological value of foodstuffs, and of 

 other matters then already prominent 

 on the scientific horizon. I remember 

 then interpolating with an appeal 

 for some study of the physiology 

 of breeding, which I urged should 

 find a place in the curriculum, and 

 I pointed out that the improvement in 

 the strains of plants and animals had 

 done at least as much— more, I really 

 meant — to advance agriculture than had 

 been accomplished by other means. My 



advice found little favour, and I was 

 taken to task afterwards by a pro- 

 minent advocate of the new school for 

 raising a side issue. Breeding was a 

 purely empirical affair. Common sense 

 and selection comprised the whole busi- 

 ness, and physiology flew at higher 

 game. I am, nevertheless, happy now to 

 reflect that of the work which is making 

 the Cambridge School of Agriculture a 

 force for progress in the agricultural 

 world, the remarkable researches and 

 results of my former colleague, Prof. 

 Biffen, based as they have been on 

 modern discoveries in the pure sciences 

 of breeding, occupy a high and greatly 

 honoured place. 



In conclusion, I would sound once 

 more the note with which I began. If 

 we are to progress fast there must be 

 no separation made between pure and 

 applied science. The practical man 

 with his wide knowledge of specific 

 natural facts, and the scientific student 

 ever seeking to find the hard general 

 truths which the diversity of Nature 

 hides — truths out of which any lasting 

 structure of progress must be built— have 

 everything to gain from free inter- 

 change of experience and ideas. To 

 ensure this commanity of purpose those 

 who are engaged in scientific work 

 should continually strive to make their 

 aims and methods known at large, 

 neither exaggerating their confidence 

 nor concealing their misgivings, 

 " Till the world is wrought 

 To sympathy with hopes and fears it heeded not." 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



SIAMESE BAMBOO. 



Bambusa siamensis. This is one of 

 the most beautiful of bamboos, its 

 delicate stems and plumes of fine 

 feathery foliage, which wave in the 

 lightest breeze, giving it a very distinct- 

 ive and graceful appearance. It grows 

 to a height of only about BO feet, and 

 is of sufficiently moderate growth to 

 suit small gardens. This species has 

 been introduced into Peradeniya some 

 sixteen years ago ; but has not as yet 

 flowered or produced seed. Therefore 

 its propagation has to be effected by 

 division of the roots in the wet season. 



PROVISION OF TECHNICAL AD- 

 VICE FOR FARMERS, AND THE 

 INVESTIGATION OF LOCAL 

 AGRICULTURAL PROBLEMS. 



(From the Journal of the Board of 

 Agriculture, Vol. XVIII., No. 8, 

 November, 1911.) 

 The Board of Agriculture and Fish- 

 eries have been informed that the Lords 

 Commissioners of his Majesty's Treasury, 

 on the recommendation of the Develop- 

 ment Commissioners, have sanctioned 

 payment from the Development Fund of 

 a sum not exceeding £12,000 per annum 

 to be distributed by the Board as Grants 

 to certain Universities and Colleges in 

 England and Wales for the purpose of 

 assisting these Institutions to supply 

 technical advice to farmers and to pro- 



