BOTANY 167 



The identification of the species occurring in the grasslands of 

 tropical Africa is based primarily on systematic research carried 

 out at Kew. The main results have been published by the late 

 O. Stapf and later by C. E. Hubbard in volumes nine and ten of 

 the Flora of Tropical Africa (which deal exclusively with grasses), 

 and also in papers in the Kew Bulletin. In addition, lists of deter- 

 minations and notes on individual species are supplied by Kew to 

 departments of agriculture, agricultural institutions, and agri- 

 cultural workers, not only in the British territories, but frequently 

 also to correspondents in non-British countries. Two illustrated 

 booklets on East Tropical African grasses by G. E. Hubbard 

 (1926-7) are useful for veterinary and agricultural officers. The 

 identification of South African grasses, mainly in connection with 

 pasture research, botanical survey work, etc., is dealt with as far as 

 possible by the botanists attached to the National Herbarium, 

 Pretoria, or by the South African liaison officer stationed at 

 Kew. 



The Imperial Bureau of Plant Genetics (Herbage Plants) at 

 Aberystwyth, directed by Professor R. G. Stapledon, is a centre 

 for the collection and dissemination of information on all questions 

 relating to grasslands and forage crops. The information is sup- 

 plied in the two quarterly Journals, Herbage Abstracts and Herbage 

 Reviews and in bulletins, which are issued as material accumulates. 

 Centred also at Aberystwyth is the Welsh Plant Breeding Station, 

 where research workers, led by Professor Stapledon, have developed 

 the application of genetics to pasture research and have shown how 

 the nutritive value of practically any natural pasture can be im- 

 proved to a remarkable degree by planting specially bred strains 

 of grasses, with suitable subsequent management in the way of 

 manuring and controlled grazing. The Imperial Bureau and Pro- 

 fessor Stapledon's research department work in collaboration with 

 the Imperial Bureau of Animal Nutrition and the Rowett Institute 

 at Aberdeen, under Sir John Orr's directorship, in connection 

 with the nutritive value of pastures. Deficiency in the mineral con- 

 tent of pasture plants is known to cause disease of stock, and this 

 subject is of such importance that in 1925 a sub-committee of the 

 Committee of Civil Research, which in 1930 became a Committee 

 of the Economic Advisory Council, was instituted 'to consider and 



