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Daniel McAlpine and The Bitter Pit

  • Book
  • © 2015

Overview

Authors:
  1. Douglas G. Parbery

    1. University of Melbourne, Blackburn, Australia

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  • The book is unique - the documents explaining the reasons for McAlpine's unwanted retirement were found only in 2011
  • McAlpine's brilliance as an educator, teacher and producer of fine teaching aids and contribution to science is displayed
  • 38 illustrations in the book mostly unknown, many unseen which show his talent, his sensitivity as an artist and broad abilities
  • Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras

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Table of contents (20 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xxi
    Download chapter PDF

  2. Origin and Development of a Pioneer Plant Pathologist

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 1-1
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    2. Introduction

      • Douglas G. Parbery
      Pages 3-6

    3. Scotland & England

      • Douglas G. Parbery
      Pages 7-16

    4. Highly Educated Non-graduate

      • Douglas G. Parbery
      Pages 17-23

    5. Australia Felix

      • Douglas G. Parbery
      Pages 25-40

    6. Vegetable Pathologist

      • Douglas G. Parbery
      Pages 41-66

    7. Twenty Years of Plant Pathology in Australia 1890–1910

      • Douglas G. Parbery
      Pages 67-77

  3. The Bitter Pit Investigation

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 79-80
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    2. Bitter Pit

      • Douglas G. Parbery
      Pages 81-95

    3. The Poison Theory

      • Douglas G. Parbery
      Pages 97-106

    4. A National Investigation

      • Douglas G. Parbery
      Pages 107-111

    5. The First Year 1911–1912

      • Douglas G. Parbery
      Pages 113-122

    6. Serious Stumbling Blocks

      • Douglas G. Parbery
      Pages 123-132

    7. The Second Year 1912–1913

      • Douglas G. Parbery
      Pages 133-144

    8. The Third Year 1913–1914

      • Douglas G. Parbery
      Pages 145-151

    9. The Fourth Year of the Investigation 1914–1915

      • Douglas G. Parbery
      Pages 153-160

    10. Fifth Year of the Investigation 1915–1916

      • Douglas G. Parbery
      Pages 161-167

    11. Appraisal of McAlpine’s Success

      • Douglas G. Parbery
      Pages 169-179

    12. A Century Later

      • Douglas G. Parbery
      Pages 181-187
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Keywords

About this book

This book is a biography of a scientist who pioneered the development of plant pathology in Australia in the 19th and early 20th century, and was internationally acclaimed. After 20 years as a plant pathologist, he was asked to find the cause and cure of a serious physiological disorder of apples. While the cause eluded him, and everyone else for another 60 years, he again won international gratitude for the improvements he brought to the apple industry. However because he did not find the cause, he was deemed to have failed by his political masters who were malignantly influenced by a jealous rival. The discovery in 2012-2013 of government files covering the period of the bitter pit investigation, from 1911 to 1916; reveal the extent of the unjust criticism of McAlpine while history has vindicated the management recommendations made to reduce bitter-pit losses. The focus on bitter-pit management late in McAlpine’s Career also meant that those who value his memory have been less aware of the remarkable achievements of McAlpine in the time before he left Great Britain – the brilliance of his teaching and drawing skills –featured in the early teaching texts for botany and zoology (the latter with his brother) which are now accessible on-line. The objective of this book is to demonstrate that (i) the view that McAlpine had failed in his quest was wrong and seriously unjust (ii) McAlpine achievements extend beyond plant pathology and include significant contributions to the 19th century teaching of botany and zoology, contributions which reinforce the adage – a picture is worth a 1,000 words.

Authors and Affiliations

  • University of Melbourne, Blackburn, Australia

    Douglas G. Parbery

About the author

Douglas George Parbery was born in Bega NSW. He took his B.Sc.Ag at University of Sydney in 1958 and M.Agr.Sc(Plant Pathology) in 1961 at the University of Queensland where he also worked as a demonstrator in biology. He transferred to University of Melbourne in the Faculty of Science from 1962 until 1969. In 1970 he transferred to the Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry where he was Dean for several years and retired in 1995 as Associate Professor. His specialty was Mycology and following his retirement he was appointed Senior Associate in Mycology and Plant Pathology.

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