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The Development of Horticultural Science in England, 1910-1930 The Development of Horticultural Science in England, 1910-1930 Paul Smith Department of Science and Technology Studies University College London Thesis submitted for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy July 2016 I, Paul Smith, confirm the work presented in this thesis is my own. Where information has been derived from other sources, I confirm it has been indicated in the thesis. 2 Abstract This thesis explores how horticultural science was shaped in England in the period 1910-1930. Horticultural science research in the early twentieth century exhibited marked diversity and horticulture included bees, chickens, pigeons,pigs, goats, rabbits and hares besides plants. Horticultural science was characterised by various tensions arising from efforts to demarcate it from agriculture and by internecine disputes between government organisations such as the Board of Agriculture, the Board of Education and the Development Commission for control of the innovative state system of horticultural research and education that developed after 1909. Both fundamental and applied science research played an important role in this development. This thesis discusses the promotion of horticultural science in the nineteenth century by private institutions, societies and scientists and after 1890 by the government, in order to provide reference points for comparisons with early twentieth century horticultural science. Efforts made by the new Horticultural Department of the Board of Agriculture and by scientists and commercial growers raised the academic status of horticultural science and the professional status of its practitioners. Horticulture is treated as a working world and the response of the commercial sector to research station science is analysed. In detailing the scientific investigations conducted by the state and the commercial sector, in discussing state consumer-oriented policies based on research station science and in examining responses of allotment holders and consumers of fruit and vegetables to these policies, this dissertation offers an original contribution to the history of the life sciences. 3 List of Tables and Figures Table 3.1 UK research stations in horticulture, agriculture and fisheries founded between 1880-1909……………………..........................102 Table 3.2 UK research stations in horticulture, agriculture and fisheries founded between 1910-1930………............................................103 Table 3.3 Increase in staff numbers in the period 1910-1930 at ten government-funded research stations undertaking cumulatively a range of horticultural science experiments……………………...106 Figure 3.1 Distribution in the UK of state and privately funded horticultural, agricultural and fishery research stations founded between 1880-1930……………………………………………………………107 Table 7.1 Engagement with science of major seed firms, 1910-1930.........248 4 List of Photographs Figure 4.1 Cheshunt Experimental and Research Station c1933………….115 Figure 4.2 East Malling Research Station 1924……………………………...124 Figure 4.3 East Malling Research Station Laboratory 1922………………...126 Figure 4.4 Low Temperature Research Station 1922……….......................136 Figure 4.5 Rothamsted Research Station New Laboratory 1915-1916……………………………………………………………151 Figure 7.1 Suttons Lawn Science Exhibition 1920s………………………....257 Figure 7.2 Assessment of the effects of radioactive ores at Reading in 1915………………………………………………….261 Figure 8.1 Derby Market c1927..……………………………………………....290 5 List of Abbreviations ARBGK – Archives Royal Botanic Gardens Kew BAAS – British Association for the Advancement of Science BAF – Board of Agriculture and Fisheries BAS – Board of Agriculture for Scotland BBA – British Beekeepers Association BOE – Board of Education BWSCS – Bath and West Southern Counties Society CERS – Cheshunt Experimental and Research Station DATI – Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction DC – Development Commission DF – Development Fund EMB – Empire Marketing Board EMRS – East Malling Research Station FVPRS – Fruit and Vegetable Preservation Research Station JIHI – John Innes Horticultural Institution LAA – Lancashire Archives LARS – Long Ashton Research Station LIA – Lincolnshire Archives LS – Linnean Society of London LTRS – Low Temperature Research Station MAF – Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries MERL – Museum of English Rural Life MSCAUL – Marks and Spencer Company Archive, University of Leeds NA – National Archives (Kew) 6 NIAB EMRL – National Institute of Agricultural Botany East East Malling Research Library NIPH – National Institute of Poultry Husabandry PA – Parliamentary Archives PGCCC – Pennells Garden Centre Catalogue Collection RAC – Royal Agricultural College RASE – Royal Agricultural Society of England RBGK – Royal Botanic Gardens Kew RCHS – Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society RHSI – Royal Horticultural Society of Ireland RHSLL – Royal Horticultural Society Lindley Library RS – Royal Society SEAMC – Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce SHAC – Seale Hayne Agricultural College THSL – The Horticultural Society of London TKMOA – The Keep Mass Observation Archive TMCC – Thompson and Morgan Catalogue Collection TSAML – The Sainsbury Archive, Museum of London UCSC – University College Special Collections 7 Table of Contents Title page………………………………………………………………………………1 Confirmation…………………………………………………………………………..2 Abstract………………………………………………………………………………..3 List of Tables and Figures……….…………………………………………………4 List of Photographs…………………………………………………………………5 List of Abbreviations………………………………………………………………..6 Table of Contents……………………………………………………………………8 Acknowledgements………………………………………………………………...14 Chapter 1 Introduction……………………………………………………………..15 1.1 Research Questions, Arguments and Methodology…………………….....15 1.2 Horticulture and Agriculture Described……………………………………...18 1.3 Secondary Literature………………………………………………………….21 1.3.1 General Histories of England……………………………………………....22 1.3.2 Histories of Horticulture: General and Specific………………………......22 1.3.3 Histories of Agriculture……………………………………………………...23 1.3.4 General Histories of Science Focussing on the Life Sciences…………25 1.3.5 Histories of UK Horticultural Science……………………………………...26 1.3.6 Histories of UK Agricultural Science……………………………………....28 1.4 Chapter Summaries and Themes……………………………………………40 Chapter 2 Science Applied to Horticulture, 1800-1910: Setting the Scene...……………………………………………………………...46 2.1 Horticulture as a Science, 1800-1885……………………………………....47 2.1.1 Scientific Societies…………………………………………………………..49 2.1.2 Horticultural Institutions: The Horticultural Society of London………….52 2.1.3 Agricultural Institutions……………………………………………………...53 2.1.3.1 The Bath and West and Southern Counties Society……………….....54 2.1.3.2 The Royal Agricultural Society of England……………………………..55 2.1.3.3 The Royal Agricultural College…………………………………………..56 2.1.4 Plant Physiology and Horticulture……………………………………….....57 2.1.4.1 Rothamstead……………………………………………………………….57 8 2.1.4.2 John Lindley: ‘pointing out… the fundamental principles’…………....58 2.1.4.3 M. T. Masters………………………………………………………………60 2.1.5 Classification, Nomenclature and Cultivation: Botanic Gardens, Plant Collectors and Seedsmen…………………………………………...61 2.1.5.1 Botanic Gardens…………………………………………………………..61 2.1.5.2 Private Collectors, Nurserymen and Seedsmen……………………….62 Summary…………………………………………………………………………....63 2.2 Horticultural Science, 1885-1910: The Role of the Government…………65 2.2.1 Enquiries and Legislation, 1885-1910…………………………………….65 2.2.1.1 Enquiries……………………………………………………………….......66 2.2.1.2 Legislation………………………………………………………………....68 2.2.2 The Establishment of Educational and Research Institutes and Examples of their Work……………………………………………….71 2.2.3 Alfred Daniel Hall……………………………………………………………72 Summary……………………………………………………………………………74 2.3 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………...75 Chapter 3 The State and Horticultural Science: The Government Research Stations, 1910-1930………………………………………78 3.1 The Development Fund and Development Commission………………....82 3.1.1 The Influence of Left Wing Views………………………………………….84 3.1.2 Creating the State System of Pure and Applied Science……………….90 3.1.3 The Influence and Work of Alfred Daniel Hall……………………………93 Summary…………………………………………………………………………....97 3.2 The ‘research factories’……………………………………………………….98 3.2.1 Research Stations 1880-1930: A General Survey……………………….99 Summary……………………………………………………………………….....111 3.4 Conclusion…………………………………………………………………....112 Chapter 4 Research Stations: Four Case Studies…………………………..114 4.1 Cheshunt Experimental and Research Station…………………………...115 4.1.1 Early Work………………………………………………………………….116 4.1.2 The Influence of Pests and Diseases and the Drive to Increase Yields in the 1920s……………………………………………...118 Summary…………………………………………………………………………..123 4.2 East Malling Research Station……………………………………………...123 4.2.1 The Influence of the Director R. G. Hatton……………………………...125 4.2.2 The Research Work at the Station……………………………………….129 9 Summary…………………………………………………………………………..133 4.3 Cambridge University Low Temperature Research Station……………..134 4.3.1 Origins of the LTRS………………………………………………………..137 4.3.2 Developments in gas and cold storage………………………………….140 4.3.3 Influence…………………………………………………………………....141 4.3.4 Tensions…………………………………………………………………....144 Summary…………………………………………………………………………..148 4.4 Rothamsted Research Station: ‘a research machine ready to act’……..149 4.4.1 Soil and Plant Nutrition Research………………………………………..152 4.4.2 Weeds, Pests and Diseases……………………………………………...157 4.4.3 The Design of Experiments……………………………………………….159 Summary…………………………………………………………………………..160
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