10 April, 1919. J Tomato Diseases. 235 



" All these gentlemeu kindly examined the material supplied, and 

 reported the result. 'None of them found any organism capable of 

 prndueing the disease." 



Experimental Work. 



" Experiments were performed to determine if the origin of the 

 disease was in the soil. These experiments, while by no means conclusive, 

 suggests that the origin of the disease may be in the soil." 



Summary. 



" 1. This disease is Avidespread, and may result in serious loss, 



'' 2. Little is known as to the cause of the disease. 



" 3. Eepeated microscopical examinations and plate '^julture tests 

 with various media have failed to disclose a causal organism. 



" 4. Inoculation experiments have given negative results. 



" 5. The position and nature of the leaves, and the fact that the 

 disease fails to develop further in affected fruits when these are removed 

 from the plants and ]>laced in a moist chamber, indicates that this is a 

 so-called physiological trouble. 



" 6. The experiments with hydrocyanic acid gas indicate that fumi- 

 gation does not cause the disease. 



" 7. Experiments on sterilized soil seem to indicate that the origin 

 of the disease is in some way connected with the soil, but as no causal 

 organism has been formed it would seem that the disease might be due to 

 some chemical or physical deficiency in the soil, which is apparently 

 overcome by sterilization. 



" 8. This account of tlie disease is published with the object of agaiii 

 calling attention of plant pathologists to it, with the hope of stimulating 

 discussion and research regarding its cause and control." 



This disease in tomato plants which has been under investigation by 

 American plant pathologists is, I think, identical with the one which I 

 have named Spotted Wilt. The appearance, symptoms, and failure to 

 obtain any causal organism agree. Further, the disease differs from all 

 known tomato troubles caused by fungi, bacteria, or nematodes. The 

 disease is a serious one, and threatens the tomato industry, probably to a 

 far greater extent than all the other diseases which have found a place 

 here. 



Practically the whole of the paper used in Australia at present is 

 imported, and a considerable number of investigations and inquiries 

 have been made with a view to finding some suitable raw material^ in 

 Australia from which paper can be manufactured in large quantities. 

 The importance of this matter, and the possibilities of establishing the 

 industry of Australia, can be gauged by the fact that the annual imports 

 of paper into Australia are valued at no less than £1,800,000. 



The whole question has received the attention of the Commonwealth 

 Institute of Science and Industry, which has issued a Bulletin giving 

 the results of some investigations of much interest and importance which 

 have been carried out by the Institute. 



Copies of the Bulletin may be obtained free on application to the 

 Secretary, Institute of Science and Industry, 314 Albert-street, East 

 Melbourne. 



