50 REPORT OF THE AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH 



REPORT OF THE IMPERIAL MYCOLOGIST 

 FOR THE YEAR 1910- 1 L 



(E. J. Butler, MJ3., F.L.S.) 



1. Chargp and Estahli^hment. — I remained in charge 

 of the section throughout the year. Mr. F. J. F. Shaw 

 held the post of Supernumerary Mycologist, Mr. J. F. 

 Dastur was confirmed in his appointment as first assistant. 

 Bahu P. C. Kar was appointed to the vacant post of second 

 clerk. All the staff have worked well. 



2. Training. — Mr. F. Fateh-ud-din, Assistant Director 

 of Agriculture, Punjah, attended for a mycological course 

 once a week up to April 3rd. A forest ranger from the 

 same province received a course of training in fruit dis- 

 eases up to August 13th. A private student from Bombay 

 abandoned the course early in the year. Amongst visitors 

 Dr. Vermoesen, Mycologist elect to the Belgian Congo, 

 worked in the Laboratory for over two months at the end 

 of the year. 



3. Aid to Provincial BefartmentS!. — Collections of 

 named fungi, chiefly parasitic, have been supplied to the 

 Madras and Mysore mycologists. A considerable number 

 of specimens have been named for nearly all the provinces, 

 the largest number being for Bombay and Eastern Bengal 

 and Assam. Advice regarding the work of Provincial 

 assistants has been given on several occasions. 



4. Plant disease investigations, (a) Palm diseases. — A 

 memoir giving a full account of the bud-rot of palmyra, 

 coco and areca palms in Madras was published in Septem- 

 ber. An organised campaign, having as its object to pre- 

 vent the spread of the disease and to stamp it out within 

 the affected area in Godavari and Kistna Districts, has 

 been in progress since 1907. The parasite (PythHum palmi- 

 vorum) attacks the crown of the palm only, killing the tree 

 by destroying the growing point. Spores capable of 



