212 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XLVII. No. 1209 



the best methods of treatment for different 

 varieties and r^ions may be cleared up. 

 There are other problems calling for nation- 

 wide cooperative attack, but in general re- 

 search prc^blems are regional and can best be 

 organized in the sectional conferences of 

 pathologists where the different problems are 

 acute. Commissioner Stakman will, from time 

 to time, issue notices of cooperative research 

 projects which are being taken up, giving the 

 names of the leaders and an outline of the 

 work. The War Board felt that this work of 

 promoting cooperative research is one of the 

 most important it can undertake, and that it 

 has very far-reaching possibilities affecting 

 American plant pathology. 



Commissioner Lyman, in charge of crop loss 

 estimates, reported on the collecting of data. 

 Very gratifying response to his request for in- 

 formation on this difficult subject was received 

 from pathologists throughout the country. A 

 questionnaire sent to the county agents also 

 yi-elded valuable data on certain important dis- 

 eases. As a result a large body of data, prob- 

 ably more extensive than has ever before been 

 collected, is now being classified and arranged. 

 These figures will be resubmitted to the state 

 and federal pathologists for thorough revision 

 with a view to making them as authoritative as 

 possible. They will then be issued in a special 

 number of the Plant Disease Bulletin for gen- 

 eral distribution. The board agreed that these 

 crop loss estimates should be utilized as fuUy 

 as possible in educational and publicity cam- 

 paigns. The board also requested the Plant 

 Disease Survey to collect such data as may be 

 available from all sources on losses due to 

 transportation and storage rots. 



Commissioner Kern reported on plans for 

 the conduct of a publicity campaign. It was 

 agreed that it is very important that the gen- 

 eral public be more thoroughly informed as to 

 the significance of phytopathological work, in- 

 cluding the losses due to diseases and storage 

 rots, the significance to the public of these 

 losses and their connection with high prices 

 and food shortage. All possible agencies should 

 be employed by pathologists generally to get 

 this information to the public which is now 

 interested in the subject on account of war 



conditions. Pathologists should publish ar- 

 ticles in newspapers and popular magazines and 

 should embrace every opportunity to deliver 

 popular lectures on pathological subjects be- 

 fore miscellaneous organizations. Exliibits, 

 displays and motion pictures should also be 

 utilized. 



The "War Emergency Board adopted the fol- 

 lowing resolutions and it is hoped that all 

 pathologists will assist in carrying them out 

 and in translating them into action. 



Whereas, the situation this year as regards ex- 

 tension work on the control of plant diseases pre- 

 sents many unusual and critical features, inasmuch 

 as never before has there been such urgent need 

 for control work in order that the food supply may 

 be increased, while at the same time the general 

 application of control measures will be rendered 

 very difficult on account of the serious shortage 

 of farm labor, making it almost impossible for the 

 farmer to undertake any work not absolutely es- 

 sential; whereas, on this account great care should 

 be taken that the control work advocated is such as 

 to bring tangible results, in order that the whole 

 subject of plant disease control may not fall into 

 disrepute among the growers. 



Therefore, be it Resolved that principal empha- 

 sis this year should be placed on the serious dis- 

 eases of the more important food crops for which 

 control measures are thoroughly proven, and rela- 

 tively easy and cheap of application; and 



Besolved that all extension workers should be 

 carefully instructed before going into the field as 

 to the nature and scope of the work to be under- 

 taken and the ways and means to be employed. 



Whereas, approximately 130,000,000 bushels of 

 wheat and other cereals are lost annually on ac- 

 count of the attacks of preventable smuts, and, 

 since this loss can be prevented easily at a cost not 

 exceeding 3 cents per acre for materials and labor, 



Therefore, be it Besolved that the War Emer- 

 gency Board urge the enactment of legislation or 

 the adoption of other methods for securing compul- 

 sory treatment of seed wheat, oats, barley and rye 

 to eradicate preventable smuts and other diseases. 



Whereas, extensive observations have shown 

 that the common barberry {Berheris vulgaris) 

 including its horticultural varieties, is an im- 

 portant link in the life history of stem rust of 

 cereals in the upper Mississippi Valley, enabling 

 it to develop and spread early in the season, thus 

 conducing to serious epiphitotics ; and whereas, the 

 value of the common barberry in that region is 



