6i 
CORRESPONDENCE. 
To the Editor of the Agricultural Bulletin , 5 . S. and F.M.S. 
Dear Sir, 
I note in your issue of December, Vol. t^^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 information 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 are carried on 
by the students, but by the staff : — Ed.] 
