As pointed out in the following pages, the most notable of the 

 earlier investigations throwing light on the character and con- 

 sequences of Rust were those conducted by the Secretary of the 

 old Board of Agriculture, Arthur Young, and published in 1805 ; 

 by the President of that body, Sir John Sinclair, published in 

 1809 ; and, lastly, by Mr. W. C. Little, on behalf of the Royal 

 Agricultural Society of England, in 1883. 



Among the incidental questions which necessarily pass undei 

 review in connection with the development of the fungus known 

 as "Puccim'a graminis," is the part asserted to be played by 

 the barberry as the host of a certain stage of the fungus. This 

 matter was prominently noticed in Arthur Young's inquiry in 

 the early years of the century. It had specific attention also 

 called to it in Mr. Carruthers' note in the " Royal Agricultural 

 Society's Journal," in 1882, when it was pointed out that the 

 experiments of De Bary had proved that the dEcidium of 

 the barberry and rust and mildew of wheat were only stages 

 in the life of the same plant. This matter was specially urged on 

 the Board by one of their earlier correspondents on this occa- 

 sion as deserving further inquiry and observation. There is, 

 however, but little corroborative evidence on this point furnished 

 by the observers reporting in 1892, and the important extracts 

 from the Australian reports herein given seem to indicate an 

 increased probability that the barberry plant despite what has 

 been proved against it may not be indispensable to the pro- 

 pagation of this fungoid attack. 



It had been at one time hoped that the German and American 

 investigations conducted in 1892 would have been completed in 

 sufficient time to allow of the results being incorporated in this 

 Report. But as these are not yet available it has been deemed 

 inadvisable further to delay the issue of a statement which, it is 

 hoped, may direct increased attention to a question of no little 

 importance and interest, and which, on many of the points 

 noticed, and particularly on that of the production of rust- 

 resisting varieties of wheat, might usefully attract the careful 

 examination of scientific observers. 



