40 REPORT OF THE AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH 



REPORT OF THE IMPERIAL MYCOLOGIST FOR 



THE YEAR 1909-10. 



(E. J. Butler, M.B., F.L.S.) 



Charge and Establishment. — Mr. W. McRae, M.A., 

 B.Sc, Supernumerary Mycologist, held charge of the 

 Section until December 27th, 1909, when I returned from 

 leave. Mr. McRae joined his new appointment as Mycolo- 

 gist to the Government of Madras immediately after; his 

 loss was much felt, but he has taken charge of mycological 

 work in a province which is second to none in India in the 

 number and magnitude of its fungus diseases of plants. 

 His successor, Mr. F. J. F. Shaw, B.Sc, A.R.C.S., joined 

 his appointment on January 28th, 1910. The vacant post 

 of first assistant was filled by Mr. J. F. Dastur, B.Sc, on 

 May 14th, 1910. Mr. J. H. Mitter, second assistant, was 

 appointed Assistant Professor of Mycology in the Punjab 

 Agricultural College, Lyallpur, from June 1st, 1910. The 

 remaining members of the laboratory staff have each 

 received promotion as a consequence. All have done good 

 work. Messrs. J. H. Mitter and S. N. Mitra have given 

 material assistance in the training of students and in 

 general laboratory work; the latter, Mr. A. Hafiz Khan 

 and Munshi Inayat Khan in field work and on tour; while 

 Mr. Hafiz Khan, by his keenness and capacity for indepen- 

 dent research is proving a valuaWe assistant. In Munshi 

 Inayat Khan we have one of the most useful types of native 

 botanical assistants ; without any English education, he has 

 yet an almost phenomenal knowledge of indigenous plants 

 gathered during long service under Mr. Duthie in the 

 Saharanpur Herbarium and as a collector in all parts of 

 Nortliern India. He is in charge of the herbarium and 

 collections, which are well kept up. The Bengal Mycolo- 

 gical Assistant worked in the laboratory pending the pro- 

 vision of accommodation for him at Bhagalpur, until April 

 14th, 1910. 



