CLIMATE. 61 



combination of science and practice. For if cer- 

 tian parasitic fungi, hitherto supposed to belong 

 to genera entirely distinct, can be shown to be 

 specifically identical, there will be a reasonable 

 expectation that any remedy or palliative dis- 

 covered for the disease in one stage, will pre- 

 clude the necessity of seeking a different cor- 

 rective in another. Rust and mildew may 

 then be checked by a common treatment. 

 More observations are, however, still required 

 on this curious subject. A remark from pro- 

 fessor Henslow is worthy of notice. He says, 

 that the rust seems to be more common and 

 more dreaded on the continent than the mil- 

 dew, whilst with us the mildew is considered a 

 far greater pest than the rust. *' Is it," he 

 adds, " that our climate is better suited to the 

 more complete development of the spores of 

 these parasitic fungi, and that our continental 

 neighbours are more rarely favoured with the 

 opportunity of seeing them in their most per- 

 fect form ?" 



The rust is perhaps the least alarming in 

 England of all the parasites attacking the 

 wheat. Unquestionably it passes off in the 

 way described more readily than any other ; 

 but when that beneficial influence of sunshine 



