Aug. 3, 1908.] Agricultural Gazette of N.S.W. 665 



Thornly, wlio has charijfe of all the Nature Study work done in the schools of 

 Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire. 



The only Agricultural College in England with a scientific staft' doing 

 original investigation is Wye Agricultural College, in Kent. Here I met 

 Mr. F. V. Theobald, the Yice-Principal, who has charge of the economic 

 work, and went all over the laboratories, and through the orchards and 

 experimental farms with him. One of the most important diseases at present 

 under observation by the Pathologist (Mr. Salmon) is " warty disease " or 

 "black scab of potatoes" (Chrysophlycetis endobiotica, ^chh.). Introduced 

 into England about 1895, it has spread over nine counties of England and 

 Scotland, and Mr. Salmon says could be very easily introduced into Australia 

 with seed potatoes. I would suggest that it be proclaimed a disease under 

 our Vegetation Diseases Act, and that a close watch be kept on seed potatoes 

 coming from England. 



Another fungus disease that has caused so much anxiety among fruit- 

 growers in Gi'eat Britain that the Board of Agriculture has had a Vegetation 

 Diseases Act passed a few months ago to deal with it, is American Gooseberry 

 Mildew (Spho'rotlieca morsiiv(t^), and proclamations have been distributed and 

 stuck up all over the country districts warning growers to look out for this 

 pest on their gooseberries. Mr. Theobald informed me that in the pear 

 orchards of England probably the worst pest is '■ bud gnat," a small fly 

 (D/plosis sp-^, which lays its eggs on the opening flowers, in which the 

 maggot feeds, causing them to swell out and then drop off. There is also a 

 small mite that damages the young gooseberries in a similar manner. 



Blight-proof stocks are unknown among the apple-growers in England ; 

 most of their apples are. grafted on the Paradise stock, which is very much 

 subject to " American blight." Codling moth is very common, but most of 

 the wormy apples are made into cider, and very little trouble is taken with 

 them. Canker in the bark is very common, and attacks every bit of injured 

 bark, often killing the trees. 



At the request of Mr. F. Cooper (of Messrs. Cooper and Nephews) I visited 

 his laboratories at Watford, where chemical combinations for dealing with 

 parasites of plants and animals are studied. He is doing some fine scientific 

 work in conjunction with Professor Warburton, of Cambridge University, in 

 the study of cattle-ticks, and making very fine photographs and anatomical 

 drawings of all the known species. Through want of time I was unable to 

 visit their other establishment at Berkhamstead. 



At the request of Mr. Taverner (Agent-General for Victoria) I called 

 upon Mr. Middleton, in charge of the experimental work of the Board of 

 Agriculture at Whitehall Place, who, with Mr. Roger.?, of the Intelligence 

 Branch, gave me some information as to their methods of administration and 

 carrying out experiments. 



I was able to attend the monthly meeting of the Entomological Society of 

 London, where, at the President's recjuest, I gave the members a short address 

 on our economic work in Australia, and met many of the leading entomo- 

 logists of Great Britain. I also attended the monthly meeting of the 



