60 THE president's ADDRESS. 



destroy forest trees. The following figures will give some idea 

 of the enormous amount of injury done to the higher plants by 

 parasitic fungi. 



In Prussia, according to the Statistics Bureau, the loss on 

 the crop of wheat, rye, and oats, caused by fungi during the 

 year 1891, amounted to the sum of X20,628,147 sterling, or 

 almost a third of the total value of the crops. In Australia the 

 loss on the wheat harvest of 1890-91 due to rust was estimated 

 at .£2,500,000 sterling. In the United States the vineyards 

 have suffered terribly from fungus pests. Up to the present 

 time 30,000 acres of vines have been destroyed, causing a direct 

 and indirect loss of 20,000,000 dollars. 



These are not exceptional cases, but average illustrations of 

 the disastrous effects produced by parasitic fungi on our cultivated' 

 crops. Until quite recently these epidemics were accepted with 

 calm resignation, being considered as deserved visitations for 

 wrong-doing. At the present day most civilised countries are 

 establishing experiment stations for the purpose of studying 

 these pests and devising means for checking their devastations. 

 Great Britain is watching the result of these experiments with 

 interest before plunging into the fray to any serious extent. 



Journ. Quckett Microscopical Cluh, So: 2, Vol. VIII., No. 4S, April 1901. 



