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O 



PESTS AND DISEASES. 



Visit to Laboratories. 

 N the occasion of the visit to the Offices of the Department of 

 Agriculture on the 26th April, an inspection was made of the 

 laboratories, a description of which is given below : 



Mycological Laboratory. 

 A number of specimens of diseases had been prepared and 

 arranged by Mr. W. N. C. Belgrave (Acting Mycologist) and 

 Mr. F. de la Mare Noi'ris (Assistant Agricultural Inspector) the 

 exhibits, in addition to specimens of parasitic fungi, included several 

 of the common saprophytes, e.g., several Xylaria sp., often found 

 on decaying timber. 



Among the parasitic fungi, there were specimens of pink disease 

 in all its stages, die-back {Diplodia), thread-blight, Usttdina zonata, 

 including all the different forms of fructification, Poria, Fomes, 

 including a very fine resupinate fructification, brown root disease, 

 Sphserostilhe repens, and black stripe canker. Particularly interest- 

 ing was a specimen of an old tree attacked by " black stripe " into 

 which the disease had penetrated to a depth of six inches. 



Visitors were also sliown pure cultui'es of most of the above 

 fungi, and the method of making them. 



Entomological Laboratory. 

 Exhibits prepared by Mr. P. B, Richards (Acting Entomologist) 

 and Mr. C. B. Holman-Hunt (Systematic Entomologist) illustrated 

 the common pests of cultivated plants in Malaya, the different stages 

 in the life histories of the more important insects being displaj'ed. 

 The classification of the white ants was illustrated by a series of 

 microscope preparations, while the structure of the nest, the social 

 organization and the habits of the white ant of rubber, Termes 

 gestroi, were demonstrated in some detail. 



From the general insect collection cases were prepared to 

 illustrate the classification of the Insecta, and considerable interest 

 was shown in an exhibit of curious and rare insects. 



