William Lowrie
Encyclopedia
William Lowrie was an Australia
n agricultural educationist.
Lowrie was the son of John Lowrie, a shepherd, and his wife Christina, née Anderson. Lowrie was born near Galashiels
, Selkirkshire
, Scotland
. Lowrie was brought up on a farm Clarilaw, one of the largest farms in Roxburghshire
, and attended school at Blainslie; he later entered the University of Edinburgh
, where he graduated M.A. in 1883, and obtaining a Highland and Agricultural Society's bursary in 1884, studied agriculture and graduated B.Sc. in 1886 with a prize in mathematics and several first-class honours.
Lowrie lectured natural science and agriculture at Gordon's College, Aberdeen was appointed principal of the Roseworthy Agricultural College, South Australia, where he made a special study of the effects of fallowing and the use of water soluble phosphate
s as fertilizer
. Following this Lowrie travelled throughout the wheat
-growing districts of South Australia
, addressing farmers and endeavouring to persuade them to adopt his methods. In 1901 he went to New Zealand
as principal of the Lincoln Agricultural College
, then in 1908 became director of agriculture in Western Australia
where his brother-in-law, Newton Moore
, was premier. In 1909 he declined the offer of the chair of agriculture at the University of Sydney
. Lowrie returned to South Australia in 1912 as director of agriculture, but resigned in 1914 owing to differences of opinion with the minister for agriculture regarding the reorganization of the department. After his retirement Lowrie took up farming on 'Battunga', near Echunga, South Australia
and specialized in farming and breeding pure-bred Border Leicester
sheep.
Lowrie died at Echunga on 20 July 1933 and was buried at St George's cemetery, Magill. Lowrie had married twice, firstly to Mary Longbottom on 24 June 1891, she died four months later after an ectopic pregnancy; on 23 March 1903 Lowrie married Alice Longbottom (Mary's sister) who survived hime, there were no children. Lowrie did excellent work, especially in South Australia; no one else in his time did more to make farming profitable. A bust of him, by Marguerite Richardson, is at Roseworthy Agricultural College.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n agricultural educationist.
Lowrie was the son of John Lowrie, a shepherd, and his wife Christina, née Anderson. Lowrie was born near Galashiels
Galashiels
Galashiels is a burgh in the Scottish Borders, on the Gala Water river. The name is often shortened to "Gala" .Galashiels is a major commercial centre for the Scottish Borders...
, Selkirkshire
Selkirkshire
Selkirkshire or the County of Selkirk is a registration county of Scotland. It borders Peeblesshire to the west, Midlothian to the north, Berwickshire to the north-east, Roxburghshire to the east, and Dumfriesshire to the south...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. Lowrie was brought up on a farm Clarilaw, one of the largest farms in Roxburghshire
Roxburghshire
Roxburghshire or the County of Roxburgh is a registration county of Scotland. It borders Dumfries to the west, Selkirk to the north-west, and Berwick to the north. To the south-east it borders Cumbria and Northumberland in England.It was named after the Royal Burgh of Roxburgh...
, and attended school at Blainslie; he later entered the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
, where he graduated M.A. in 1883, and obtaining a Highland and Agricultural Society's bursary in 1884, studied agriculture and graduated B.Sc. in 1886 with a prize in mathematics and several first-class honours.
Lowrie lectured natural science and agriculture at Gordon's College, Aberdeen was appointed principal of the Roseworthy Agricultural College, South Australia, where he made a special study of the effects of fallowing and the use of water soluble phosphate
Phosphate
A phosphate, an inorganic chemical, is a salt of phosphoric acid. In organic chemistry, a phosphate, or organophosphate, is an ester of phosphoric acid. Organic phosphates are important in biochemistry and biogeochemistry or ecology. Inorganic phosphates are mined to obtain phosphorus for use in...
s as fertilizer
Fertilizer
Fertilizer is any organic or inorganic material of natural or synthetic origin that is added to a soil to supply one or more plant nutrients essential to the growth of plants. A recent assessment found that about 40 to 60% of crop yields are attributable to commercial fertilizer use...
. Following this Lowrie travelled throughout the wheat
Wheat
Wheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...
-growing districts of South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
, addressing farmers and endeavouring to persuade them to adopt his methods. In 1901 he went to New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
as principal of the Lincoln Agricultural College
Lincoln University, New Zealand
Lincoln University is a New Zealand university that was formed in 1990 when Lincoln College, Canterbury was made independent of the University of Canterbury...
, then in 1908 became director of agriculture in Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
where his brother-in-law, Newton Moore
Newton Moore
Major-General Sir Newton James Moore KCMG , was the eighth Premier of Western Australia and a member of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1918 to 1932....
, was premier. In 1909 he declined the offer of the chair of agriculture at the University of Sydney
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
. Lowrie returned to South Australia in 1912 as director of agriculture, but resigned in 1914 owing to differences of opinion with the minister for agriculture regarding the reorganization of the department. After his retirement Lowrie took up farming on 'Battunga', near Echunga, South Australia
Echunga, South Australia
Echunga is a small town in the Adelaide Hills located 34 km south-east of Adelaide in South Australia.The area was initially settled in 1839, with the town laid out in 1849. Gold was discovered in 1852 and Echunga became the first proclaimed goldfield in South Australia. This led to a gold rush,...
and specialized in farming and breeding pure-bred Border Leicester
Border Leicester
The Border Leicester is a breed of sheep originating in England and raised primarily for meat. Border Leicesters are polled, long-wooled sheep. Though large in size and robust, they are also docile...
sheep.
Lowrie died at Echunga on 20 July 1933 and was buried at St George's cemetery, Magill. Lowrie had married twice, firstly to Mary Longbottom on 24 June 1891, she died four months later after an ectopic pregnancy; on 23 March 1903 Lowrie married Alice Longbottom (Mary's sister) who survived hime, there were no children. Lowrie did excellent work, especially in South Australia; no one else in his time did more to make farming profitable. A bust of him, by Marguerite Richardson, is at Roseworthy Agricultural College.