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progress. The most noticeable feature at the moment is the concentration of numbers of workers on certain fundamental problems, such as the etiology of the mosaic group of diseases, biological specialization in parasitic fungi, and the factors determining resistance or susceptibility to disease. Innumerable new points of view and critical attacks on many existing conceptions regarding parasitism and plant diseases generally are encountered, and a new science of phytopathology is being built up on the basis of the intimate relationship between host-plant, parasite, and external conditions. It is essential for the progress of mycological science in this country that we should keep in close touch with current developments and trends of thought in the United States. Mere knowledge of the literature does not suffi- ciently satisfy this need, as the value of published work is often difficult to appraise at a distance and trends of thought are usually in advance of publication. The practice of sending British mycologists to the United States in response to the annual invitations that have been issued during the past few years by the American Phytopathological Society is a sound one, and its cost will be more than repaid in the increased efficiency of their work.

To the Bureau of Mycology there is a special advantage over the general one referred to above, in that both as a centre for distributing Information and an organization for working out the parasitic fungus flora of the outlying parts of the Empire we will require all the assistance we can get from other workers. 'As a result of my visit, I feel that we can rely confidently on receiving a great deal of help from workers in the United States.

I cannot close without referring to the extreme cordiality shown to the British delegate at the Cereal Conference, and the amount of trouble taken by the officials of the United States Department of Agriculture and the staffs of the various Universities, Experiment Stations, and other institutions visited to make my tour a success and to look after my personal comfort. I was met at the steamer by an official of the Department of Agriculture, and the Bureau of Plant Industry at Washington arranged my tour and took an immense amount of trouble to show me its organization, methods, and results of work, and general policy.

E. J. BUTLER.

10th November, 1921.

25388

No. 68.

IMPERIAL BUREAU OF MYCOLOGY. HALF-YEARLY REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR FOR THE PERIOD ENDING 31st March, 1922. THE Bureau is at present in a satisfactory financial position. The deposits and cash with the Crown Agents on the 31st of March amounted to £7,415 3s. 4d. These figures do not, however, represent the actual reserve fund of the Bureau, as they include a number of contributions for the current year. The reserve fund, as shown in Appendix III, is approximately £5,400, which is slightly more than one year's income.

The Bureau has hitherto been steadily increasing its reserve, but it is not likely that there will be any further increase now that the full expenditure on the publica- tion of the Review has been incurred. It will be seen from Appendix IV that the estimated balance on the working of the Bureau for the current financial year is only £330.

The Government of Trinidad has been obliged, owing to financial stringency, to discontinue their contribution (£50), and the income from Government grants for the current year will therefore be £4.925 as against £4.975 anticipated in the last report.*

Appendix I shows the balance sheet of the Bureau on the 31st March last, Appendix II the actual receipts and expenditure on the Bureau account for the past year, and Appendix III the general financial position on 31st March last. The item under outstanding liabilities in Appendix III of an estimated sum of £200 due to the Office of Works is for furniture and fittings for the publication office and general laboratory obtained on recoverable account from the Office of Works out of the sum of £315 sanctioned at the Fourth General Meeting† of the Managing Com-

No. 158 in Miscellaneous No. 321.

* No. 66.

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mittee for this purpose. Although all the work was completed and delivered in December, we have not been able to get the bills up to the date. The sum has, there- fore, to appear in our estimates of expenditure for the coming year (Appendix IV), though it is a non-recurring item chargeable to our reserve fund.

Staff-Dr. Bisby has notified me of his intention to return to Canada in October, at the end of the period during which he retains a lien on his appointment in the Winnipeg Agricultural College. His loss will be much felt, as he has proved a valuable and experienced addition to the Bureau staff. Steps are being taken to secure a successor, and a proposal to appoint Mr S. P. Wiltshire, at present Mycologist at the Long Ashton Experiment Station, near Bristol, will be laid before the Committee at the next meeting.

Publications. The Review of Applied Mycology commenced publication in January, and at the time of writing five numbers have been issued. As the actual amount of work requiring notice could only be learnt by experience, it was decided to include papers published during 1921; it is already evident, however, that we cannot deal with many more of last year's papers while keeping up with those published in the current year unless we enlarge the size of the Review. The numbers hitherto issued consist of 32 pages each, and this will be increased to 40 from June. The additional cost will be covered, as far as I can estimate, by subscriptions and by savings under the head of translations during the coming year, and our net cost of publication should not exceed £400 deficit on printing, £100 for index, and £60 for distribution, or £560 in all, as previously estimated. But for the first year close estimating is difficult. The Review costing very slightly over £1 per page to

print.

Subscriptions received up to 31st March total fifty-seven and we have had twelve since. There is no doubt we are suffering from the general financial depression, as Continental subscriptions have been few. The unfavourable exchange makes the publication expensive in many countries where we should have a sale, and altogether we could scarcely have hit on a more unfavourable moment for making a start. It takes time for a new scientific journal to get known, and I am therefore distributing a number of sample copies free, besides accepting exchanges whenever an oppor- tunity arises; we have arranged exchanges with some fifty other publications up to date. In addition we are, of course, supplying a large number of free copies to the various subscribing Dominions and Colonies and some to official bodies in England. From letters received it is evident that the Review is meeting a long-felt want in many of the overseas parts of the Empire.

The arrangements for printing and publication were explained at the last meeting of the Committee. The Stationery Office was unable to undertake the work, which was accordingly given to the Oxford University Press, their tender being the lowest received. Actual publication and distribution is done by the Bureau, and has presented no great difficulty so far. If we find later on that it is more than we can manage or is uneconomical, we can then reconsider the offer to publish for us, on commission, that has been made by the Press.

General Work of the Bureau.-The number of specimens received for critical examination is increasing, parcels having come from Australia, India, Egypt, the Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, the Gold Coast, Nigeria, the Belgian Congo, Palestine, the Straits Settlements, and Fiji during the half-year. Requests for assistance in tracing references, lending papers, or giving information on various matters have been received from New Zealand, the West Indies, India, South Africa, several African Colonies, England, France and America. A few collections of named fungi have been presented. Recently some attention has been given to the fungous parasites of man and animals, as it appears probable that the Bureau will be called on to deal with certain aspects of this subject in future. A start has been made in arranging a herbarium of parasitic fungi, chiefly from the tropics, while larger specimens of the diseases of important crops. such as rubber. tea and coconut, are provided for in cases on the top floor of the Bureau. A number of typical cultures of fungi of economic importance have been handed over to the National Collection of Type Cultures at the Lister Institute for maintenance in the living condition. These are available to students and research workers under the regulations of the National Collection. The assistance of American workers has been enlisted for the critical examination of parasites belonging to Diplodia, Helminthosporium and

* 5278: not printed.

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