286 Transactions. — Botany. 



It has been estimated that damage to the extent of fifty 

 millions of pounds annually is caused by parasitic Fungi alone 

 to cultivated crops, and it is also equally certain that the 

 greater part of this damage could be prevented if proper pre- 

 caution was exercised. This precaution can only be carried 

 into effect when a sufficient number of experts are available 

 for the purpose of imparting information directly to those 

 most immediately concerned. 



Classification. 



There are at the present day about forty-five thousand 

 accepted species of Fungi. These numbers are in future much 

 more likely to be reduced than increased, as many forms 

 accepted at the present day as entities will certainly prove to 

 be simply forms in the life-cycle of other species. Neverthe- 

 less, we have an enormous assemblage of undoubted species, 

 and the grouping of these into natural families has engaged 

 the attention of several of our most able mycologists. Not- 

 withstanding the brilliant discoveries made during the last 

 half-century, important fundamentals are far from being 

 satisfactorily settled. For example, as regards the important 

 point relating to sexual reproduction, the three observers who 

 have paid most attention to the subject — -De Bary, Brefeld, 

 and Dangeard — -have arrived at conclusions diametrically 

 opposed to each other, and, as all cannot be right, the ques- 

 tion is still open. Under the circumstances, it is considered 

 advisable, in a purely systematic work, to adopt a classifica- 

 tion which enables the student to determine a species with the 

 greatest possible facility ; its peculiarities — morphological, 

 physiological, &c. — can afterwards be obtained fronr special 

 works devoted to that branch of the subject, experience 

 having taught that all attempts to weave such details mto 

 a work dealing entirely with the discrimination of species has 

 resulted in failure. 



The following works give the result of biological research 

 into the life-history of the Fungi : — 



" Vergleichende Morphologic der Pilze " (Dr. F. von Tavel) ; 

 90 figs. Jena, 1892. — This contains a condensed account of 

 tlie whole of Brefeld' s investigations on the life-history of the 

 Fungi. 



" Introduction to the Study of Fungi " (Dr. M. C. Cooke) ; 

 numerous figs. 1895. Black and Co. 18s. — Contains a 

 general sweeping-up of all recent works on Fungi ; especially 

 valuable for geographical distribution and broad features of 

 the various groups. 



" Plant Life " (G. Massee) ; figs. 1890. Methuen and 

 Co. 2s. 6d. — An introduction to the study of cryptogamic 

 botany. 



