1 ^2 



AIcAlpine, 77/6; Romance of Plant Pathology. [ 



\ict. Nat. 



No%-. 



But there is a sad and pathetic sequel to this story. Mr. EUis 

 evidently believed in himself, and he continued his experiments 

 in the little patch of ground at the Botanical Gardens, but they 

 were suddenly terminated. As reported at the time, on 29tli 

 July, 1891, at half past 9 o'clock in the morning, he went to 

 inspect the patch and to hoe out the weeds, and had not been 

 engaged at his task man}^ minutes when he was noticed by some 

 of the gardeners to fall upon the ground as if in a fit. They 

 hastened to his assistance, but within a few minutes, without 

 word or motion, he was dead. 



I would just add that the problem of rust in wheat is not yet 

 solved. True, Mr. Biffen, of Cambridge, has bred a wheat im- 

 mune to yellow rust {Puccinia glumarum), w^hich does not exist 

 in Victoria, but still susceptible to the black rust {Puccinia 

 gra minis). At present I am testing different species or sub- 

 species of Triticum as regards their rust-resisting qualities, and 

 by crossing one species or variety immune to black rust with 

 another susceptih)le to it, but possessing the desirable qualities 

 j-equired by the farmer, it is believed that in this way the rust 

 may be conquered. 



The Genuine and the Spurious Locust Fungus. 



This is an instance of a scientific blunder which led to various 

 complications, and some of these are sufficiently amusing to 

 be worthy of record here. 



The locust j)lague, in some seasons, is very destructive in 

 Australia, as well as in other parts of the world, and various 

 attempts have been made to co})e with it. It was found in 

 South Africa that a ])arasitic fungus attacked and destroyed 

 them wholesale, and if this fungus could be used for infecting 

 them artificially it would be a valuable discovery. Accordingly, 

 cultures were made at the Cape and sent out in tubes as the 

 " South African Locust Fungus." Several of these tubes 

 reached me in October, 1899, Iron^ fli<-' Director of the Bacterio- 

 logical Institute at the Cape, accompanied by the following 

 note : — " I may mention that many thousands of tubes have 

 been used in this colony with unfailing success in wet weathei", 

 if properly a})plie(l. In dr}^ weather the fungus is not so certain 

 in its results ; but even then it has been extremely satisfactory 

 in the hands of the locust experts sent out by the Government, 

 who are i)ractised in its use. The fungus has been despatched 

 to Cyprus, Algeria, Palestine, South America, and many other 

 parts of the world." Accompanied by such a strong recom- 

 mendation, it is no wonder that the i-ultures were used l^y Mr. 

 French, the Government Entomologist, and otliers. 



My interest in the fungus consisted in determining its sys- 

 tematic j)osition, in order to know its nature and whether it 

 was likely to affect other forms of life. It was determined to 



