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The Mzisettm Gazette 



than uninfected ones. So certain is the fungus of perpetuating 

 itself by this vegetative method, without ever quitting the 

 host plant, that the production of spores has been completely 

 arrested. Hence there are no means of ascertaining with 

 certainty the affinities of the fungus. In the absence of 

 spores no other plants of the same land can be infected, con- 

 sequently there exist two races of each of the three kinds of 

 rye-grass, one race infected with a fungus, the other race 

 uninfected, and without a possibility of becoming infected. 

 Microscopical examination of a commercial sample of darnel 

 seed showed over 80 per cent, to be infected." 



The extreme importance that attaches to the study of fungi 

 may be gathered from the following statement by Mr. Massee: 

 " It is well within the mark to state that the annual loss 

 throughout the world due to injury caused to cultivated 

 plants by parasitic fungi exceeds £150,000,000 sterling. 

 Probably double this amount would be nearer the truth. '* 

 Cases in support of this remarkable statement are given on 

 p. 219. A moment's reflection will convince the reader that 

 it is not an exaggerated one. In every village in England one 

 sees death and destruction brought about by fungus parasites, 

 e.g., this year the potato disease has been remarkably preva- 

 lent, and some important notes upon it appeared in our 

 September issue. It is only by acquiring a sound knowledge 

 of the life histories of these pests that we can expect to keep 

 them in check, and as a means to this very desirable end all 

 nurserymen and gardeners should acquire Mr. Massee's two 

 books. 



CORRESPONDENCE. 



In England, for every 100 births of girls there are 104 of boys. 

 Male infants are, however, more difficult to rear than girls, and as 

 age advances the proportions of the two sexes become more nearly 

 equal, until at length there are more women than men. 



The proportions of the sexes at birth is believed to differ in different 

 races. The often repeated assertion that in negroes equality occurs 

 is not, however, beyond dispute. It is very difficult in any excepting 

 well-civilised races to get trustworthy statistics. 



