424 



when Premier, approved of the proposal, and the western 

 end of the island was reserved, but it was never legally 

 constituted. In due course, however, a Bill was prepared 

 with that end in view, but, for one reason or another, it 

 was not developed, although Government after Government 

 promised to carry it through. Last year a committee of 

 three — Messrs. S. Dixon and J. M. Black and myself — was 

 appointed by the Royal Society, and an application was made 

 for the reservation of 1,000 square miles of country, toward 

 the preparation of which two prominent citizens had promised 

 to contribute <£4,000. Death, unhappily, removed those two 

 public-spirited gentlemen before their offer could be accepted, 

 but the Hon. John Lewis, M.L.C., said he would fence the 

 area. Owing mainly, it is understood, to the great extent 

 of the area specified, strong opposition was offered to the scheme 

 by some of the residents on the island, and eventually a special 

 meeting of the District Council was held at Kingscote, and 

 was attended by Mr. Laffer, M.P., one of the Parliamentary 

 members for the district, and myself. The subject was thor- 

 oughly discussed in all its aspects, and finally the Council 

 agreed not to offer any further opposition, a fact which was 

 subsequently conveyed to the Premier (Hon. A. H. Peake), 

 together with an intimation favouring the carrying out of 

 the project. All that remains to make the long-desired 

 Flinders Chase a reality is for the Bill already prepared to 

 be brought up to date and to receive the sanction of Parlia- 

 ment, which, no doubt, will provide for the appointment of 

 a Board of Governors to control the property. The area 

 involved is approximately 200 square miles, west of a line 

 from Cape Forbin on the north, to the Rocky River, round 

 the Rocky River freehold, and thence south-west to the sea." 

 Exhibits. — Prof. Osborn exhibited specimens of dis- 

 eased cabbages from a market garden at Piccadilly affected 

 by "black leg." This disease is caused by a fungus, Phoma 

 Lingam (Tode), Desmaz. The symptoms commonly observed are 

 a wilt of the tops of certain plants representing from a few to 

 50 per cent, or more of the crop. The wilted plants are found 

 to have their tap-roots destroyed and somewhat blackened. 

 The fructifications of the fungus are observed as minute 

 black spots around the diseased portions. The fungus also 

 ■attacks the leaves and stems, flower stalks, and fruit pods. 

 It has recently been shown by Henderson, working at Wis- 

 consin, U.S.A. (Phytopathology, viii., pp. 379-431, 1918), 

 that seed in the pod below such diseased areas is also in- 

 fected, and will produce infected seedlings. Ample evidence 

 of seed-bed infection was found at Piccadilly. An account of 

 preventive measures was given. He also exhibited shells of 



