rKi:sil)KNTI.\I. AI)I)KI-:.SS SKf'lloN C. Ill 



of the locust and grasshopper family. This fungus has not yet 

 been successfully grown in artificial media, but reeiuires living' 

 tissue for its growth and develoi)nient. The original cultivators 

 of the " locust fungus."' instead of producing Ewf>i(sa Grylli, 

 the casual orgap.ism of locust disease, cultivated a sj)ecies of 

 Miicur, under the impression that it was the responsible jxirasite. 

 In short, as they were only amateurs in the held of mycolog\-, the^• 

 failed to discriminate the llinpusa growth from that of Miicor. 

 My experiments with these Miicor cultures left no shadow of 

 doubt as to their innocuous nature in so far as locusts were con- 

 cerned, and this conclusion has been fully l)orne out bv other 

 investigators in those countries to whom " locust fungus " tubes 

 were sent. 



The " dry-rot " disease, or mildew of maize, a trouble that 

 is particularly prevalent in Natal, has received considerable atten- 

 tion from Dr. \'an der Bijl. The investigation was undertaken 

 for two reasons. In the tirst place, the disease causes a serious 

 loss in the crop, and secondly, farmers complained of heavy mor- 

 tality amongst stock fed on such mouldy cobs. In nearly all 

 cases symptoms of intoxication and paralysis were described. 

 While the conclusions arrived at by Dr. Van der Bijl (91) are such 

 that the fungus cannot be regarded as poisonous to stock, the)' 

 open up and invite fitrther inquiry as to the cause of such mor- 

 tality in these areas.* Indeed, the whole subject of fungus- 

 infected grass and fodder, and its effect upon stock, is one that 

 would more than repay thorough investigation. Over and over 

 again cases have been brought to my notice in which animals 

 have died after having fed on certain fodder and forage, which 

 on examination was found to be infected with various fungi. 



receding tests subsequently made on such infected food have 

 invariably led to negative resitlts. It, however seems fairly clear 

 that there must be something in these mysterious cases of poison- 

 ing that we have not been able to fathom. 



The numerous fungus pests of the jjotato, tomato, and citrus 

 crops, have been very carefully worked otit by Dr. Doidge, and 

 a whole series of valtiable and i)0])ular articles has been published 

 which has done much to stimulate public interest in these matters. 



In conclusion. T nnist refer to the prominence that mycolog)- 

 and ])hyto-pathology is now taking in the curriculum of studies at 

 the Schools of Agriculture and in the syllabus of the Cape of Good 

 Hope University, in comparison to what it did a few years ago. 



I nuist also remind yoti of the recent establishment and 

 equipment of a second phyto-]:)athological laboratory in the Union 

 viz., at Durban, for the si)ecial investigation of mycological prob- 

 lems connected with tro])ical and sub-trojjical crops. 



* Since this address was delivered, I have I)een informed by the 

 Director of Veterinar\- Research that paralysis has been produced in stock- 

 fed recently on mouldy col)s at the \'eterinarv Researcli Laboratory at 

 Pietermaritzbursf. — I. p,. p. E. 



