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VI. GENERAL DISCUSSION. 



Sir David Prain {Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew). 



I have been asked to say something about the scope and functions 

 of the Imperial Bureau of Mycology in its relation to the activities of 

 Economic Biologists and to the already existing research institutions. 

 I can only state that in all these things its part will be like that played 

 by the Imperial Bureau of Entomology. As you are aware some ten 

 years ago this Bureau was founded by the Entomological Committee 

 and since that time it has, under the directorship of a member of this 

 Association, developed in a most extraordinary manner. We hope that 

 the Imperial Bureau of Mycology may be equally successful. The in- 

 tentions underlying its foundation are similar as will be its functions, 

 and we hope that its value to economic biology will be equally great. 



E. S. Salmon {Agricultural College, Wye). 



After listening to the papers which have been delivered this morning, 

 two things will be present in all our minds. The first is the wide scope of 

 economic mycology, and the second the need and value of conferences 

 such as this. 



It is interesting to look back on the progress of economic mycology 

 during the last fifteen or twenty years. The practical man has learned 

 how to deal successfully with disease owing largely to descriptions of 

 the fungus and control measures written in simple language. The avail- 

 ability of such technical knowledge to the practical man is very recent, 

 and one may instance the ignorance fifteen years ago of the Kent apple 

 grower regarding Apple Scab. The leaflets published by the Ministry of 

 Agriculture mark a great advance in the diffusion of knowledge and one 

 may now be thankful that these leaflets are safe on the scientific side. 

 The question has been raised whether there should not be two kinds of 

 leaflet, one for the less and one for the better educated grower, but the 

 present issues are certainly not too technical for the farmers and fruit 

 growers of Kent. 



Detailed knowledge is essential to practical control of the disease. 

 The life-history of the species is not sufficient, for there are physiological 

 species within the morphological species as in the case of the Monilia 



Ann. Biol, vi 23 



