July, 1911.] 



53 



Scientific Agriculture. 



with the investigation of the damage 

 inflicted on crops by animals, parti- 

 cularly insects (Entomology) ; or in 

 studying the ways to prevent the loss 

 due to the lower forms of plant life 

 (Mycology). The problems which they 

 investigate are suggested in the course 

 of their work, by a study of the current 

 literature of their subject, or by con- 

 sideration of the suggestions received 

 from those in charge of field experiments 

 in a large number of different districts. 

 In the case of the Entomologists and 

 Mycologists, scientific investigations 

 may also be necessitated by the occur- 

 rence of an epidemic attack of some 

 insect pest or fungoid disease. It should, 

 however, be understood that it is not 

 necessary for such workers to possess, 

 as part of their equipment, a detailed 

 knowledge of the conditions of agricul- 

 tural practice in any special district; 

 what they need is to be accurately 

 informed of those conditions, in the 

 places where their advice is required, in 

 order that they may be enabled to 

 recommend the adoption of the measures 

 that are most suited to those conditions. 

 It is here that those who are in charge 

 of experiment stations possess a parti- 

 cular usefulness in giving the specialist 

 an accurate idea of the circumstances in 

 which his knowledge may be applied. 

 This knowledge is general. It only 

 requires to be adapted in such a way as 

 to apply to the problem which is causing 

 uneasiness to those who are engaged in 

 agricultural pursuits for the purpose of 

 making a living. 



It is part of the function of the labor- 

 atory staff to keep itself thoroughly in 

 touch with all the current literature 

 relating to the subject of scientific agri- 

 culture, as well as to conduct research. 

 This literature must be correlated and 

 disseminated, through the medium of 

 definite publications, in a form in which 

 it is of most service to the practical man. 

 Besides rendering available all the latest 

 results of investigations made in other 

 parts of the world, the body of scientific 

 investigators must prepare more tech- 

 nical articles setting forth for the bene- 

 fit of other similar bodies the results of 

 its own researches. 



The value of co-operative effect be- 

 tween the various types of men concerned 

 with agricultural interests is well illus- 

 trated by the working of such depart- 

 ments as those in India and the United 

 States, Institutions of this nature are, 

 broadly speaking, modelled on the lines 

 already indicated. The scientific staff is 

 subdivided into groups of men concerned 

 with the investigation of problems con- 

 nected with one branch of science only. 



Their results are conveyed through 

 middle men and thus become available 

 to the farmer. It is clear that when 

 such a department requires to enlarge 

 the sphere of its activities to include a 

 new area, it can do so to the best advant- 

 age, not by increasing the personal of 

 its scientific staff, but by adding to the 

 members of the middle men in its em- 

 ploy. A body of specialists whose work 

 is intended to elucidate problems con- 

 nected with agriculture in India has 

 recently been assembled at the Agricul- 

 tural Research Institute at Pusa. The 

 results obtained by them are published, 

 and so made available to the various 

 provincial departments and planters' 

 associations, and the scientific officers of 

 these institutions direct the application 

 of the results to the conditions of culti- 

 vation which exist in their districts. 

 All such organizations are intended to 

 direct and economize the energy spent 

 on scientific investigation, in order that 

 the most satisfactory results may be 

 obtained for the minimum expenditure 

 of labour, money and time. 



THE VALUE OP HUMUS. 



(Prom the Agricultural News, Vol. X., 

 No 232, March, 1911.) 



In those islands of the West Indies 

 where sugar-cane cultivation is carried 

 on more particularly, the agricultural 

 procedure, which is often the outcome 

 of the experience of several generations 

 of planters, shows that the importance 

 of an adequate supply of humus in the 

 soil is generally recognized. Every 

 effort is made to keep the soil in good 

 condition by the use of farmyard 

 manure, and as little waste as possible is 

 permitted of such plant remains as are 

 available for application to the field ; 

 while there is a constantly greater 

 understanding of the need and import- 

 ance of green dressings. 



It is generally understood, by now, 

 that the term humus means to the agri- 

 culturist the dark-coloured material, 

 formed of plant remains, that gives the 

 soil its characteristic different colour 

 from that of the sub-soil. The re- 

 searches of recent years have shown that 

 this material is formed, from vegetable 

 waste, by the action of bacteria in a 

 partial or total absence of air. The 

 circumstances uuder which it is pro- 

 duced cause more of it to be found in 

 land that has not been tilled for some 

 time than in that which has been turned 

 over regularly ; this condition is met 

 with more frequently in temperate 

 climates than in the tropics. It is a 



