CORRESPONDING SOCIETIES. 763 
Sir Edward Brabrook (Balham and District Antiquarian and N.H. Society) 
proposed, on behalf of the Conference, a vote of thanks to the Chairman. His 
subject was most appropriate, and was a most eloquent and valuable study. 
It suitably gave point to the famous opening—Let us now speak of great men. 
Professor M. CU. Potter (Durham University Philosophical Society), in second- 
ing the vote, thought that the meeting would regard the Address as a most 
stimulating account of one of the greatest of the great scientific minds of the 
nineteenth century. 
Miss A. Lorrain Smith reported on the results obtained by the British Myco- 
logical Society from the sending out of a circular on certain fungoid pests. She ~ 
said that, following on a suggestion by Mr. Harold Wager, a committee of the 
Society had been formed to draw up a series of questions which might afford 
direction and guidance to members of local Natural History Societies in their 
study of fungi. It was felt that workers living in the country had many oppor- 
tunities of making careful observations and collecting specimens which would 
be of service to research students. The questions submitted had reference 
mainly to diseases of fruit and forest trees, about which data were urgently 
desired. The questions were as follows :— 
1. The very serious disease known as ‘Silver-leaf’ (so called because the 
leaves become of a silvery colour), which affects fruit-trees, particularly 
the Victoria plum, is now thought to be caused probably by Stereum 
purpureum, the sporophores of which appear on the dead wood of the 
affected trees. Observations on the following points would be valuable : 
(a) The distribution of Stereum purpureum as a parasite or sapro- 
phyte in the district. 
(6) “he habitat, with exact identification of the dead tree, shrub, or 
wood on which the sporophores are found. 
(c) Did ‘silvery ’ foliage occur on the tree or shrub previous to the 
occurrence of the sporophores on the dead wood? 
2. Many British trees are greatly injured by the growth of fungi belonging 
to the Polyporacee. Information is wanted as to :— 
(a) The name of the trees. affected ; and 
(6) The name of the Polypore causing the injury. 
3. A revision of the British Clavariacee is being made by Mr. A. E. Cotton, 
F.L.S., of The Herbarium, Royal Gardens, Kew, who would be much 
obliged if members of local Natural History Societies would forward 
to him at the above address specimens of this order for identification 
and examination. 
The committee of her Society also asked the secretaries of the local Natural 
History Societies to inform them as to the number of their members interested 
in the study of mycology, and if any lists of fungi or papers thereon had been 
published by them. The questions were sent to over 10U secretaries of societies. 
Miss Smith was disappointed to record that so far only four had acknowledged 
them. No further response had been received, although the subjects on which 
information was needed were not minute in size. She explained, however, that 
the fungus season was over before the circular was issued, and that possibly the 
subject would be taken up in the coming autumn months. 
As a result of the discussion the delegates present undertook to lay the 
matter before their societies, and, so far as possible, to induce their members 
to co-operate with the British Mycological Society. 
Mr. H. N. Davies (Somersetshire Archeological and Natural History Society) 
asked that copies of the questions should be sent to delegates as well as to the 
secretaries of the societies. His Society seemed not to have received the paper, 
and he wondered if those which were not exclusively Natural History Societies 
shad been overlooked. 
Mr. Harold Wager thought the questions put by the British Mycological 
Society were very suitable for investigation by the local societies, and he hoped 
that the delegates present would be able to induce their members to take up 
these and similar problems for investigation. As showing what valuable work 
