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often directed against the scientific entomologist or mycologist on the grounds that he is not practical, but it must be admitted that as a rule he has not the means of working out practical details, and that if the best results are to be got out of his discoveries the technical aspect must receive greater support.

It would not be appropriate in this memorandum to enter into a discussion as The scientific institutions to how a technical institution should be controlled.

clearly benefit by being allowed to work untrammelled by official regulations, but in the case of the technical institution there would certainly be advantages in direct State control. In the first place, it is common knowledge that foreign departments distrust our own Board of Agriculture on account of the fact that the Board have no plant disease station, and that in consequence our export trade is hampered. Secondly, in the administration of Acts of Parliament concerning plant diseases it would clearly be an advantage if the Board were in a position to test their remedies before forcing growers at large to adopt them. Finally, the standing which a State institution would possess would be of great assistance in conducting trials in various parts of the country and in the investigation of such questions as the precise material damage due to destructive pests. It appears somewhat strange in the present state of agricultural science that no information on this latter subject would be available.

The above notes concern the general policy adopted towards investigation and Apart from research, which are probably of most importance to the subject. questions of policy, however, one or two other points are worthy of consideration.

In the first place, the losses caused by pests are clearly very large, as shown above, and amount to millions yearly. So far as has been ascertained, the sum spent by the State in the discovery of remedies for the loss does not exceed £10,000 per annum, and is probably little more than £5,000. From whatever point of view the matter is regarded, it seems difficult to justify the expenditure of such a sum. If it is considered that there is little hope of substantially reducing the losses due to pests, then the £5,000 would better be spent in some other way; while, if as is generally believed to be the case, a considerable proportion of the loss is preventible, then an expenditure of £5,000 is totally inadequate.

Finally, one further question needs consideration. Applied science is attract- certain facilities-not ing greater attention at our universities. There are altogether adequate, perhaps for training students in applied entomology and mycology, and graduates in these subjects have some opportunities for obtaining scholarships or studentships from the Development Fund, as well as from other sources. The student, however, has no means of judging whether he is likely to obtain a livelihood out of his work--neither his teachers nor the authorities can give him any assurance on this point. At present, when he is trained he usually takes a colonial appointment, and, since the Colonies pay considerably higher salaries than are obtained at home, there is a real danger that the best men will emigrate, leaving the second-class man at home. It follows also that funds intended to better agriculture at home are often spent in training men for the Colonies. It is therefore suggested that some means should be taken to estimate the increased man-power needed in the subject in order that the best students may enter on their studies with a reasonable prospect of finding a post, while others may be prevented from entering a profession in which they can never make an adequate livelihood.

Another matter that demands serious consideration is the need for instituting some system for inspecting plants imported into the country in order to prevent the introduction of insect pests and diseases. At present there is no adequate organiza- tion for this purpose, and if a disease does happen to be introduced it is likely to remain undetected until it has already established itself, as in the case of the American gooseberry mildew. This question is also an international one, and that aspect will have to be taken into consideration. In view of the preparations that are being made to develop forestry in this country on a large scale, it is well to draw attention to the necessity for making adequate provision for entomological and In its practical aspect the study of mycological investigations in this connexion. the enemies of forest trees has been much neglected, although various insects and fungi are well known to cause serious damage; and the Office of Woods has neither an entomologist nor a mycologist in its staff. It would be a step in the right direc- tion if some sort of Forestry Research Institute could be founded in which pro- vision should be made for the scientific investigation of the pests and diseases of timber trees along practical lines.

Again, an enormous amount of damage is annually done to seasoned and manufactured timbers by both insects and fungi, and yet no co-ordinated attempt

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has ever been made to control these ravages, against which the sporadic efforts of individuals are virtually powerless. Although the Office of Works has under its charge numerous important and valuable public buildings, the desirability of having on the staff men who are competent to deal with such subjects does not appear to have occurred to the responsible authorities.

The protection of stored food products from the attacks of insects opens up a wide field for really valuable work; though here again the efforts of the individual avail but little, and no real solution of the problem is likely to be obtained until appropriate action is taken by the Government itself.

Experience has shown that in dealing with all serious insect pests and fungi no effective control can be obtained, except as a result of general co-operation, which in practice it is impossible to secure without legislative action, and such legislation must be based on a thorough investigation of all aspects of the question by really competent men.

Nor need it be feared that the undertaking of scientific research by a Govern- ment department specially appointed for that purpose will have any adverse influence on individual scientific investigations; on the contrary, it is more likely to serve as a stimulus.

The above notes will perhaps serve to show that the subject of plant pests deserves full consideration in connexion with agricultural reconstruction. It is believed that the time has now come when the whole subject should be put on a more certain foundation, and that if the opportunity is lost there is a danger that in the difficult years which must be anticipated our machinery for coping with plant disease may be found inadequate to the needs of the country.

Imperial Bureau of Entomology,

24532

1st March, 1918.

No. 83.

OF

MINUTES OF THE TWENTY-SEVENTH GENERAL MEETING OF THE

BUREAU MANAGING COMMITTEE OF THE IMPERIAL ENTOMOLOGY, held at tHE COLONIAL OFFICE ON THE 18th May, 1918.

Present:

VISCOUNT HARCOURT (Chairman).

MR. FRYER.

DR. HARMER.

PROFESSOR MACDOUGALL.

SIR JOHN MCCALL.

PROFESSOR NUTTALL.

SIR DAVID PRAIN.

SIR HERBERT Read,

MR. SCOTT.

MR. THEOBALD.

MR. WARBURTON,

DR. MARSHall.

MR. NEAVE.

MR. FIDDIAN (Acting Secretary).

THE minutes of the Twenty-sixth Meeting* were confirmed.

The Half-Yearly Report of the Directort was received, and commented on by Dr. Marshall, who pointed out that the Chairman had been among the first to protest against the proposal of the Office of Works to take over the Natural History Museum for other purposes, which would have gravely interfered with the work of the Bureau. It was understood that the joint memorandum from the Bureau and the Association of Economic Biologists had been favourably received by the Ministry of Reconstruction. Dr. Marshall also read a letter from the Agricultural Educa- tion Association outlining the proposed scheme for collecting accurate data as to the distribution and incidence of plant pests in this country. The work of making the plant pest catalogue was progressing satisfactorily, but rather slowly, and the services of another temporary assistant were desirable. This was approved.

+ Annexure to these minutes.

0 2

* No. 81.