EDITORIAL, 
POISON GASES AND FARM PESTS. 
The utilization of poison gases upon a large scale in tlie recent war 
has prompted in the lay mind many speculative suggestions as to its 
adoption upon a commercial basis as a means of attack upon many of 
the pests that inflict loss upon our primary industries. Long before 
the war, however, scientists had given close consideration to the question, 
and fumigation was a firmly-established practice for the destruction 
of various farm and orchard pests. The efficacy of various gases for 
killing rabbits had also been tested, and the conclusion was arrived at 
that in Australia carbon bisulphide was, for all practical purposes, the 
most suitable. Its use, however, was not advocated for general adop- 
tion, being applicable only in certain circumstances. In this experi- 
mental work, the Vermin Destruction Board of Victoria has tested a 
number of gases, and has reached the conclusion that where gas is 
applicable, commercially, carbon bisulphide gives the best results. 
SCIENCE IN THE SCHOOLS. 
Mr. James, New South Wales Minister for Education, says few 
people have any idea of the great development that has taken place in 
regard to the teaching of science in the public schools during the past 
five years. In 1913 only 320 pupils passed the public examinations in 
science, whereas in 1918 the number had grown to 2,441. At the end 
of 1918, 8,350 boys and girls in the high schools were undergoing a four 
years’ course in science, while 1,393 boys and girls were taking a two 
years’ course in the junior technical superior schools and the evening 
technical schools. Thus nearly 10,000 boys and girls are being definitely 
taught chemistry, physics, botany, geology, zoology, or the agricultural 
sciences. Of these pupils, over 4,000 were studying more than one 
branch. Chemistry attracted 7,261 students; 5,724 were undergoing a 
systematic course of instruction in physics; 1,554 were studying botany; 
289 were studying geology; 171- the agricultural sciences, and 18 pupils 
were taking zoology.. “In 1913,” said Mr. James, “62 teachers were 
attending day lectures at the University, and of this number only nine- 
teen were taking the science course. Last year 253 teachers attended 
day lectures, and of these considerably more than half—to be exact, 141 
—were studying for their science degree. I intend to call a conference 
of scientific experts of the different industries at an early date, and 
propose to ask them to give the Department practical advice on the 
science curriculum in all our schools, and the chance of placing students 
who undergo a definite course of study in the secondary schools, as well 
as those who proceed to graduation in the Faculty of: Science at the 
University.” 
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RESEARCH WORK IN CANADA. 
So that Canada may line up in the van of nations bidding for the 
world’s trade;.and afterwards keep in the forefront. as competition grows 
keener, the Honorary Advisory Council for Scientific and Industrial 
Research recommends the expenditure by the Government of £100,000 
to construct a four-story building of the laboratory type to serve as a 
Central Research Institute, with the functions of a Bureau of Standards, 
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