62 REPORT OF THE AC4RICULTURAL RESEARCH 



Agaves and has prepared a note for publication. He also 

 visited the Sisal plantation of Messrs. Allen Brothers near 

 Cawnpore to report on its health. An outbreak of lucerne 

 mildew was reported from the Remount Depot, Sargodha, 

 and of cauliflower mildew from Lahore. Experiments were 

 continued with a view to finding some practical method of 

 checking anthracnose of plantains. The stem rot of papaya 

 was also under study, as its cause has not yet been deter- 

 mined. Mr. Shaw made a local invest i station of the orange 

 disease in the Khasia Hills, whence the " Sylhet " oranges of 

 the Calcutta market are exported. The cause of this very 

 obscure disease is still unknown. Oat smut was prevalent 

 in Bihar and recommendations for its treatment have been 

 made. A disease of coffee berries from Coorg was found 

 to be caused by Collet otrichum Coffeanum Noack, a parasite 

 which I had previously observed attacking the leaves of this 

 plant, but w]iich was not known to attack the berries. 

 Mr. Shaw has commenced the study of Striga, a parasitic 

 flowering plant which does much damage to sugar-cane, 

 jowar and other Graminese in India. Amongst the diseases 

 not previously known in India, cotton anthracnose, lucerne 

 mildew and rust of velvet beans were the chief. Two 

 diseases of wild vines were investigated, one of which is 

 known to attack also the cultivated species. An account 

 of them was published since neither occurs in Europe and, 

 if introduced, they might prove serious pests in grape- 

 growing countries. The usual routine work of dealing with 

 enquiries and specimens sent in for report was continued. 

 Altogether 98 parcels of specimens were examined. 



5. Systejnatic uwrk. — A considerable advance was made 

 in this branch of the work of the section, the additions to 

 the named herbarium collection numbering some hundreds. 

 These were for the most part plant parasites, about 200 

 additions to the parasitic flora of India having been made. 

 Two parts of the list of Indian fungi, which is being pre- 

 pared in collaboration with Messrs. H. and P. Sydow of 

 Berlin, were published. These contained the record, and in 

 many cases also a detailed description, of over 300 species of 



