130 McAlpine, The Romance of Plant Pathology. [^''^Xox^""'' 



Rust in Wheat, and the Detective. 



This is a true detective story which dates back to the year 

 1890, and, strange to say, the whole interest of it centres round 

 the discovery of a remedy for rust in wheat. Rust in wheat, 

 as you know, is a disease which in some seasons plays fearful 

 havoc with the wheat crop, and it was estimated that in 1898 

 the loss to Australia from its ravages amounted to between 

 £2,000,000 and ;f3,ooo,ooo sterling. The disease is known 

 wherever wheat is cultivated, and, since no means of preventing 

 it were known, the different States of Australia combined, and 

 in 1890 guaranteed a reward of /io,ooo to anyone who dis- 

 covered a specific for it. I was appointed by the Government 

 of Victoria to test the various remedies submitted, and I need 

 hardly say that the tempting offer brought forth quite a shoal 

 of remedies, and some of them of the most ridiculous character. 

 There was one, however, which seemed to promise good results, 

 and in a letter to the then Minister of Agriculture, under date 

 15th February, 1890, the late Mr. Smith Ellis stated : — " I have 

 patiently and carefully experimented, year after year, until I 

 have mastered the whole maj;ter, and could at once put printed 

 instructions in the wheat-growers' hands that would conclusively 

 prove to them, ])eing practical men. that I have given them all 

 the information they require to enable them to grow rusted or 

 clean wheat at will. If the Australian conference can do this, 

 and put instructions into the wheat-growers' hands that will 

 protect the next crops, then I retire ; if not, I ask ten thousand 

 pounds (£10,000) to be })aid to me by the colonies jointly, in 

 such proportions as they may decide uj)on. And please to note 

 — I accept of no money whatever until the utility of my instruc- 

 tions has been thoroughly tested, say at the end of two years, 

 by which time rust in wheat can be as effectually eradicated as 

 scab in sheep has been." The result was that the offer was 

 accepted and a bond of agreement duly drawn out and signed, 

 and a jmmphlet jniblishcd, entitled " Smith Ellis's Preventive 

 for Rust in Wheat." 



Meanwhile, Mr. Smith Ellis had })lanted a small i)lot oi wheat 

 in front of his house in South Yarra, which he trium})hantly 

 asserted to be free from rust : but on my visiting the plot, whicJi 

 was still in the green stage, in October, i8qo, and ])ointing out 

 the rust ])ustules towards the base of the i)lants, which he had 

 overlooked, he seemed much interested in the appearance of 

 rust, which he was evidently unacquainted with as seen through 

 a magnifying glass. The essence of his method consisted in 

 (i) rea}:)ing the seed for wheat when it was perfectly ripe, because 

 immature wheat had a tendency to disease : (2) keei)ing it per- 

 fectly dry, because, when moist, mould might develop and a 

 state, of fermentation ensue : (j) soNving it in a wet seed-bed. 



