1905.] Diagrams of Diseases of Forest Trees. 761 



The first portion of the report gives the views of the Com- 

 mittee mainly with regard to failures in the administration of 

 the Act, and the change in general policy which appears to be 

 rendered necessary. It also indicates the procedure which 

 should be adopted, as regards certain of the more important 

 deficiencies in the safeguards to either purchaser or seller, in 

 those cases where the existing procedure appears to require 

 alteration. Stated briefly, the Committee hold that the methods 

 for detecting fraud provided by the Act of 1893 have, although 

 bettering the position of the less instructed agriculturists, failed 

 to confer adequate protection upon them ; and that a change in 

 administrative procedure is required. They propose, therefore, 

 to throw the work of detecting fraud, in the main, upon the 

 local authority (under the control of the Board of Agriculture), 

 while affording to the individual farmer every possible facility 

 for instructing himself as to the composition of fertilisers, as well 

 as of feeding stuffs. They propose also that the onus of dis- 

 criminating between culpable and unavoidable variations from 

 the guarantee, hitherto left to the seller by requiring from 

 him a statement of the minimum constituents, should be placed 

 upon the District Agricultural Analysts. With the safeguards 

 suggested, the seller may, it is considered, without undue risk 

 or liability for error, give the buyer a statement of the actual 

 constituents (within reasonable limits) of fertilisers and feeding 

 stuffs. This should satisfy the reasonable requirements of the 

 purchaser. Finally, the Committee propose that where there is 

 not apparent fraud or culpable carelessness no criminal pro- 

 ceedings should be instituted. 



With a view to the dissemination of information as to fungus 



pests of forest trees, the Board of Agriculture have issued a 



series of coloured diagrams, prepared under 



Diagrams Of the direction of the Director of the Royal 

 Diseases of . 

 Forest Trees. Botanic Gardens, Kew, portraying some 



of the commoner diseases attacking trees 



in this country. 



The diagrams comprise nine sheets, and may be obtained 

 either directly or through any bookseller, from Messrs. Wy man & 



