Press cuttings (3)

Country Scene
by Roland Smith

Sprouting
humour

It may not rival Desperate Dan, or Dennis the Menace, but in its own small way a new comic strip  has had a resounding success.

It comes from the most unlikely source, the National Vegetable Research Station at Wellesbourne, where information is usually couched in scientific gobbledegook

"On the back of the strip I have described in more scientific terms our aims and aspirations".

The title, "The F1 Sprout Story", gives it away, but the characters could bave come straight from "Dandy".

The strip was drawn by Mr. John Fennell, of the Plant Breeding Department, and the words were provided by Mr. Richard Hardwick, of Plant Physiology.

Launched at the Chelsea Flower Show in May, the sprout strip was an immediate hit. It drew praise from Education Minister Mrs Margaret Thatcher, who visited the NVRS stand.

It shows the problems faced by scientists trying to produce hybrid sprouts, which give greater yield and uniformity.

And interest was equally high at the NVRS open day at Wellesbourne last week, when the new laboratory block was opened by Sir David Lowe.

"The comic strip is the ideal form for us to show a complicated story simply, and the success of the two we have done means that we shall undoubtedly be trying it again in the future", said Mr. Faulkner.

Mr George Faulkner, head of the seed production section of the Plant Breeding Department, said: "It's a modern approach to trying to put over what we are attempting to do to the lay public.

So watch out, "Eagle" and "Hotspur". But perhaps "Beano" is the one with most to fear ...