Collection search - Newman, L.H. - Interview

Record information – Brief

1

Newman, L.H. - Interview

Item number (ISN):

440084

Series title:

[National Research Council Oral History Project]

Hierarchical level:

Item (Accession level)

Date:

1975-07-30

Item number (ISN):

440084

Type of material:

Sound recordings

Found in:

Archives / Film, Video and Sound

Link to this record

Add to My Research

Link to this record

This link identifies the web page describing this particular record. Unlike the temporary link in your browser, this link will allow you to access, and reference, this page in the future. To link to this descriptive record, copy and paste the URL where ever needed (wiki, blog, document).

Sign in

Sign in to start saving records using My Research

Sign in
Record information – Details

Fonds/collection:

NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL OF CANADA / CONSEIL NATIONAL DE RECHERCHES DU CANADA

Accession:

1975-0157

Media:

Sound

Part:

1 of 1

Production date:

1975-07-30

Release date:

1975-07-30

Production company:

National Research Council

Production credit:

interviewer, Don Phillipson

Description:

Show detail Hide detail

Interview of Dr. Leonard Harold Newman by Don Phillipson. Subjects discussed include: August 1917 was the first national rust conference to accelerate research; Dr. Charles Saunders wanted a single lab uniting breeders and pathologists was needed for innovation; Marquis Wheat was considered as Phase I of wheat research and Phase II was the wheat disease research lab (Rust Lab); September 1924 was the second Rust Conference in Winnipeg, where a national research program was drafted and they set up a Rust Lab; W.R. Motherwell; Dr. H.M. Tory; Manitoba Agricultural College offered land for the Rust Lab where most of the best work was done; other leading labs were the Dominion Experimental Farm in Brandon and the University of Saskatchewan; the Rust Lab staff came from two CDA branches: Cereals and Dominion Botanist; Dr. C.H. Goulden; in 1923, Canadian Seed Growers Association had government grant but no statutory responsibility; in 1904, Newman joined the Seed Growers; George Clark; prior to 1925, there were fewer government scientists; by 1925, Tory promoted rust research by adding NRC associates to CDA committees and grain milling company representatives; Rust Lab attracted brilliant staff such as Dr. H.T. Gussow, Dr. Margaret Newton, and Dr. L.H. Shebeski; Margaret Newton deserves more credit than any other single Rust Lab researcher if it was not for the fact that she was a woman; cereal chemists vis-à-vis breeders and plant pathologists; chemists had final say on new varieties and the objective standard was never challenged by CDA staff, even if agronomically-superb varieties were scrapped; A.G. McCalla; R.L. 704 was a bitter disappointment when it failed the quality tests as its coronation was too yellow and lacked baking strength; great fear was any damage to the British image of Canadian wheat quality; after 1924, Newman's staff developed the Farinagraph and other equipment; CDA did serious cereal chemistry before NRC group existed; and before Board of Grain Commissioners became scientific; from 1925 to 1940, the Rye Committee did some serious work where they named a fly-resistant wheat called Rescue; Dr. Merton Love; 1935 promised a bumper crop, but in June of 1935, spore trap showed massive fall of rust spores and the whole crop was badly affected; some farmers had no crop for seven years; link between the CDA researchers and farmers: sample varieties distribution by Dominion Seed Growers - need to eliminate substandard sub-types and special inspection of harvested samples by CDA; and no bootlegging by farmers of apparently resistant varieties; same Crop Testing Plan continues to 1976; Honourable Robert Weir; some farmers would challenge Newman to identify single heads of wheat; H.T. Gussow; Newman used to offer advice on cereals research since he saw agronomic results from all experimental farms; Regal oat variety - leaf rust resistant and tested in Eastern Ontario since there was much Buckthorn; John Welch as a Rust Lab oats breeder; Dr. L.H. Shebeski as an outstanding plant breeder; Newman's Cereal Division and fall wheat named Frederick for Freddy Pjfeller; Wheat Averages Fund paid in part for the Rust Lab; Newman had extensive wheat breeding and trial plot system in Ottawa; Garnet wheat once so good agronomically that samples were sent to Europe for special baking tests but now grown in northern regions as utility grade; Dr. W. Hannah's interest in soft wheat; nutrition science was neglected and from 1939-1945, Newman was indirectly connected with nutrition committees; Dr. J.B. Harrington as a good researcher and historical source on Apex wheat; and Dr. C.H. Goulden's main interest in biometrics. <2h 48mn>

Language:

English

Notes:

Show detail Hide detail

1. Subject description taken from partial transcript in binder, National Research Council Oral History Project, Index M-Q.

~2. Part of PAC tape 557a and b.
~3. Leonard Harold Newman, geneticist (b at Merrickville, Ont 31 Aug 1881; d at Ottawa 16 Jan 1978). From 1905 to 1923 Newman was secretary of the government-sponsored Canadian Seed Growers' Association, founded by J.W. ROBERTSON to improve agriculture by encouraging farmers to breed better strains of crop plants. He took advanced training in genetics in Sweden and succeeded Charles SAUNDERS as Dominion Cerealist in 1923. Newman's duties included licensing cereal varieties for growing in Canada and he regularly attended fall fairs to talk to farmers and explain official policies. (Canadian Encyclopedia)

Detailed holdings information:

Show detail Hide detail

Vault ISN:

674826

Format:

SOUND

Location number:

C00557

Vault code:

GAT

Number of items:

1

Kind of sound:

R/R

Technical description:

POLY

Made from:

FROM LOANED MATERIAL

Status:

MASTER
Ordering and viewing options

Conditions of access:

Open

GENCAT identity number:

GAD 0FD645

Restrictions on consultation:

open.

Copyright status:

Under copyright.

Reproduction access:

With written permission of copyright owner : No donor restrictions. Copyright belongs to the Crown. Credit Library and Archives Canada.

You can order materials in advance to be ready for you when you visit. You will need a user card to do this.

Cannot visit us on site? You can purchase a copy to be sent to you. Some restrictions may apply.