I rO I'Ki:SIDENTIAL ADDRESS SECTION C. 



The case of Pucciiiia SorgJii is even more interesting. i)artly 

 because its complete life-cycle is still unknown, and partly because 

 of its rather remarkable distribution. So far as I am aware, it 

 seems to be confined to Natal. This naturally suggests an asso- 

 ciation with a local secidial host, and opens up another interesting 

 field for research. 



The result of all this work has brought out clearly the fact 

 that the more and the longer susceptible varit^ties are grown, the 

 more susceptible do they become to rust attack. As far as one 

 is able to judge, it seems that the host plant under South African 

 conditions becomes less and less able to withstand the attacks of 

 the parasite, and the problem is one that is now engaging the 

 attention of the plant-breeder. 



The matter of breeding wheat, barley, and oats for rust- 

 resistance, milling qualities and so on, is now in the hands of 

 Mr. J. H. Neethling, Botanist at the Elsenberg School of Agri- 

 culture, and from what 1 have seen of the work in hand I am 

 confident that, if he is given the necessary support and assistance. 

 Mr. Neethling will accomplish for South Africa what men like 

 Biffen, Howard, Farrar, and Carleton have done for Britain, 

 India, Australia, and the United States. 



Locust Fun<;us. 



As an illustration of the importance of studying the life- 

 history and development of the fungi with which we are con- 

 cerned, I cannot do better than quote the now historical case of 

 the locust fungus. 



Soon after my arrival in the country in 1905, amongst other 

 things which I was asked to do was that of jireparing supplies of 

 locust fungus for distribution. In fact, large stocks of material for 

 tie cultivation of the fungus were already on hand. Fortunately, 

 1 know nothing about the fiuigus or its previous history, and it 

 seemed advisable to learn what information I could about it 

 first-hand before we embarked on an elaborate and extensive pro- 

 duction of fungus. 



Locust swarms were plentiful at this time, and not only were 

 they the means of bringing the subject of " locust fungus " again 

 prominently in the public mind, but they also afforded a uni(|ue 

 opportiniity of investigating it rather thoroughly. 



Without going into details, I may say that locust fungus 

 had been cultivated for years in Cape Colony and Natal, and dis- 

 tributed amongst the farmers as the causal organism of locust 

 disease. A])parently no steps whatever were taken to follow up 

 the life-history of the fungus or prove satisfactorilv that the culti- 

 vated article was identical with that causing locust disease. 



We now know that the locusts died from attacks of the 

 fungus Einpiisa Grylli Fres.. which is widely distribtited through- 

 otit .South Africa, and when suitable climatic conditions prevail 

 is responsible for destroying large numbers of various members 



