James Arthur Prescott

James Arthur Prescott CBE FRS (7 October 1890 – 6 February 1987) was an agricultural scientist.

Early life and education James Arthur Prescott was born on 7 October 1890 at Bolton, Lancashire, England, the first of seven children of Joseph Arthur Prescott and his wife, Mary Alice, née Garsden.

Career Prescott worked as an agricultural scientist.

From 1916 to 1924, Prescott worked for Sultanic Agricultural Society of Egypt. There he produced 13 scientific papers, including four on the study of nitrogen in the soil, and alkalinity of Egyptian soils.

In 1919 he was awarded a Master of Science by the University of Manchester based on a thesis of his phosphate studies while at Rothamsted.

From 1924 until his death Prescott worked in Australia, initially as chair of agricultural chemistry at the University of Adelaide. He published in CSIR bulletin 52 "The Soils of Australia in Relation to Vegetation and Climate". This paper was the basis of his submission to the University of Adelaide, for which he was awarded the degree of Doctor of Science in 1932. in 1934.

In 1954 he became a foundation fellow of the Australian Academy of Science. 1956 Honorary degree of Doctor of Agricultural Science, University of Melbourne

The Australian Society of Soil Science established the J.A. Prescott Medal in 1971 to be awarded for outstanding contributions to soil science and climatology.

In 1980 the Waite Institute and the CSIRO Division of Soils held a two-day symposium in his honour, on his 90th birthday.