Presidential Address. F. T. Brooks. 15 



between them, it is often impossible to say where mycology 

 ends and plant pathology begins. A large part of the credit 

 attributable to the recent progress in plant pathology, must 

 undoubtedly be given to mycologists. During the past few 

 years there has been a considerable influx of plant pathologists 

 into the Society, and I trust it \vi\\ ever be the aim of the 

 Society to extend a warm welcome to all those scientific workers 

 whose investigations require a knowledge of the life-habits of 

 fungi for their solution. 



Members of the Society have also recently been active in 

 the publication of books upon fungi and allied organisms, and 

 the reproach that there were no good modern British books 

 on mycology is no longer valid. It is a pleasure to refer to the 

 literary activity of several of our members : Miss Lorrain Smith's 

 book on Lichens is the culmination of a life-study of this 

 group, and \\dll for many years be the standard work of refer- 

 ence upon these strange plants. Professor Dame Helen Gwynne- 

 Vaughan's book on Fungi fills a much-needed want, and is a 

 mine of information upon some of the most interesting groups. 

 Within the last few months there has also appeared under the 

 auspices of the British Mycological Society Mr Carleton Rea's book 

 on "British Basidiomycetae." It must be a particular pleasure 

 to Mr Rea, as it is to all of the members of the Society to see 

 his monumental work in print, which ^^dll be a lasting tribute 

 to his indefatigable zeal and skill in the study of the higher 

 fungi. Mr Ramsbottom has revised the guide to the larger 

 fungi in the British Museum and has pro\'ided therein a tale 

 of the exciting adventures of toadstools and cup fungi which 

 will not soon be exhausted. Finally Professor Buller has a 

 second volume of his researches on Fungi on the point of 

 publication, and we are all looking forward to reading the story 

 of the new discoveries of the one who may be well called, without 

 irreverence, the mycological magician. To each one of these 

 authors the British Mycological Society will wish to offer its 

 hearty congratulations. 



In all these respects, members of the British Mycological 

 Society have been active in promoting the study of mycology, 

 and the liveliness in this subject which has arisen in consequence, 

 augurs well for the future both of mycology and of our Society. 



In the membership of our Society, there has been perhaps 

 a greater influx of professional than amateur workers, and it 

 may perhaps be feared by some that the interests of the 

 amateurs may come to be overlooked. Speaking as a professional 

 worker I trust that will never be. British mycology was fathered 

 by an amateur, the Rev. M. J. Berkeley, and this Society was 

 largely founded also by amateurs including Mr Cheesman and 



