- H&$»THE JOURNAL 



OF THE 



BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Vol. XV. No. 4. 



JULY, 1908. 



RUST IN WHEAT. 

 R. H. Biffen, M.A. 



Professor of Agricultural Botany University of Cambridge. 



One of the most characteristic features of modern agriculture 

 is found in the universal attempts to grow the heaviest possible 

 crops. Whilst the introduction of artificial manures has done 

 much to increase yields, it has been realized that other methods 

 are worthy of investigation. Consequently we find many 

 farmers devoting much attention to the testing of different 

 varieties of corn, clover, roots, &c, in the hope of finding some 

 which will give larger crops under their conditions than the 

 varieties generally cultivated in the district. For the benefit 

 of those who cannot readily make such investigations for 

 themselves, the various agricultural institutions scattered 

 about the country conduct similar experiments. Within recent 

 years the stress of competition has shown that even greater 

 efforts must be made to secure the maximum yield. 



The fact has steadily been forced upon the cultivator that 

 the attacks of fungoid and insect pests are at times exceedingly 

 costly. A field of swedes ruined by finger and toe, a crop of 

 potatoes rotting through the attacks of potato disease, or an 

 apple orchard infested with scab, form object lessons which 

 are not readily forgotten. Although such diseases are not 

 encountered every year in epidemic form yet no season passes 

 without their being present and more or less severe. These 

 minor attacks, though possibly not noticed at the time, mean 

 m the aggregate a very serious loss to the grower. Modern 

 (3789) Q 



