lo Aug., 1908.1 Insect Ftsts in Foreio)! Lands. 4^3 



Usoya. Since then the population of the districts on the lake shore, and of rhe 

 islands has been practically wiped out. Brayoma Island, a few years ago, counted 

 a population of over 30,000. Two-thirds of that number have already died, and 

 as the rest are all believed to be infected it is only the matter of a year or two 

 before the complete extinction of the sturdy race of islanders who defeated Stanley 

 and Metesa of Uganda, and were with difficulty subdued by Sir F. Lugard, is ac- 

 complished. In all some 200,000 out of 300,000 are estimated to have died already 

 in the infected area. 



I also visited the London School of Tropical Medicine, where I met 

 the Director, Sir Patrick Manson, and Colonel Alcock, late of the Calcutta 

 Museum, but now in charge of the entomological work of this institution. 

 This work is carried on in connexion with the Sailors' Hospital at Wool- 

 wach, where all seamen infected with malarial diseases are received. 



Among a number of other institutions visited, I might mention the Lon- 

 don University, where Professor Hill, late of the Sydney University, showed 

 me over the Biological section; and the Nottingham University, where 

 Professor Carr has charge of the Economic Entomology. Here I also 

 met the Rev. F. Thornly, who has charge of all the Nature Study work 

 done in the schools of Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire. 



The only Agricultural College in England with a scientific staff doing 

 original investigation is Wye Agricultural College in Kent. I met Mr. 

 F. V. Theobald, the Vice-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 {Cliryso-pldycetis endobiotica, Schb.). 

 Introduced into England alx)ut 1895 it has spread over nine counties of 

 England and Scotland, and Mr. Salmon says could be very easily intro- 

 duced 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 Great Britain, that the Board of Agriculture has had a Vegeta- 

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

 Gooseberry Mildew (Sphcerotheca mors-uvce), 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 {Diplosis sf.) 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 Paradi.se 

 stock, which is verv much subject to American Blight. Codlin Moth is 

 very common, but most of the wormv 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 Sons) 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 Berkham- 

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



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