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VIII. — First Repoi't of the Consulting Botanist. \ 
In presenting my first Report I might express regret that my 
services have been made use of to so small an extent, were it not 
that the appointment of a consulting botanist, with the view of 
applying, through his advice, botanical science to agricultural 
problems, is so new a proceeding that some time must elapse 
before the members of the Society realise the nature and value 
of the benefits that may thus be obtained. 
Some cases of interest, however, have been submitted to me 
which deserve to be recorded, and one at least to be described at 
some length. 
1 have examined a specimen of feeding cake, composed of 
a mixture of various husks and seeds, which had proved injurious 
to the cattle fed upon it. I failed to detect any ingredient 
which was likely to produce the effects ascribed to the use of the 
cake. When submitted to investigation it was found to have 
been attacked by a fungus, the mycelium of which had pene- 
trated the cake in every direction. This, in the course of time, 
developed into its fruiting state, and I was enabled to determine 
that it was only a species of mould [Peiiicillium). The mycelium 
of mould is sometimes quite innocuous, as, for example, in the 
blue and red mould of cheese. At other times it acts as a 
dangerous poison, either from its own presence in the food which 
it attacks, or, more probably, from the changes which it induces 
in the food substance. It is thus probable that the storing of 
cake in damp places, where the very minute spores of fungi 
abound, and where the most favourable conditions exist for their 
germination, may induce the attack of a fungus which may com- 
pletely alter the character of the cake. 
In the early autumn 1 received specimens of ear-cockle from 
North Surrey, where this disease, unknown to the sender, was 
said to be very prevalent. The black roundish grain is found, 
on examination, to be full of small worms, the well known Vibris 
Tritici of Bauer and Banks ('Phil. Trans.,' 1823, p. 1, plates 
i. ii.), and Tylenchus Tritici, Bastian (' Linn. Trans.,' 1865, p. 
126, plate x., figs. 112-114). These little eel-like worms possess 
a remarkable tenacity of life, being revived, on the application of 
moisture, after they have been dried up for years. The origin 
of this malady is hid in obscurity. It is very local and inter- 
mittent in its appearance. A series of careful investigations, 
when it does occur, as to the physical conditions of the season, 
and of the locality, would be of great importance. 
The most important investigation which I have made is into 
a remarkable disease which attacked a field of wheat belonging 
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