INSTITUTE AND COLLEGE, PUSA, FOR 1910-11. 9 



Mr. Shaw is engaged in investigating the root rot of a 

 number of cultivated plants, caused by a species of Rhizoc- 

 tonia. The parasite appears to be the same in all cases and 

 its complete study, in- view of the large range of its victims, 

 is most desirable. 



The usual routine work of advising cultivators and the 

 general public interested in agriculture on the diseases of 

 plants and allied matters, which in this section, as in the 

 Entomological, forms a very essential part of the work, 

 was continued. Assistance was also given to Provincial 

 Agricultural Departments in advising on the work of their 

 Mycological assistants, and in providing material for refer- 

 ence collections in their colleges. 



7. Entomology. — Mr. Lefroy held charge of this section 

 up to the 31st January, 1911, when he proceeded on leave, 

 and Mr. T. Bainbrigge Fletcher, Supernumerary Entomo- 

 logist, took over charge. 



As in previous years, several provinces have freely 

 availed of the assistance offered by Pusa in co-ordinating 

 and checking the work of their Entomological assistants. 

 Of these latter there are now seventeen, some engaged in 

 teaching at the six Provin-cial Agricultural Colleges, the 

 others in field work. The advisory function of the Ento- 

 mological Section at Pusa is of great importance in the 

 present position of Economic Entomology in India. The 

 section helps by determining crop pests reported by Pro- 

 vincial assistants, and advises regarding the methods of 

 control likely to be effective in checking them. In several 

 provinces these methods have been demonstrated on a large 

 scale, as in the work against potato moth and surface 

 caterpillars in Bengal, cane grasshopper and potato moth 

 in the United Provinces and several pests in Madras. In 

 Baroda State also, the Entomological Assistant keeps in 

 close touch with Pusa, and has shown much practical 

 energy. In the same connection, mention should be made 

 of the arrangements made directly by the section for 

 demonstrating the life histories and characters of in- 

 j urious and beneficial insects. A considerable exhibit was 



