R. W. E. MacIvor: Late-nineteenth-century Advocate for Scientific Agriculture in South-eastern Australia

Abstract

Ralph Waldo Emerson MacIvor, a Scottish chemist, was brought to Victoria in 1876 by the prominent landowner W. J. Clarke to lecture to farmers on scientific agriculture. MacIvor lectured frequently over the next few years, joining in agricultural politics and supporting the establishment of agricultural colleges. He also lectured in South Australia and New Zealand. His lectures were fully reported in the press and in 1879 he incorporated their content in a book, The Chemistry of Agriculture. He was one of the unsuccessful applicants for the University of Melbourne's chair of chemistry to which David Orme Masson was appointed in 1886. In 1884, MacIvor was appointed by the new Sydney Technical College to lecture in country districts on scientific agriculture, but served for less than a year. He returned to Britain where he practised in London as a consulting analytical chemist. MacIvor came with experience in original chemical research, but he was not brought to Australia to conduct research in agricultural chemistry. His role was to act as instructor and advocate for scientific agriculture.