310 Report of the Council , 
culosis in cases where there are no symptoms present to indicate 
either disease. 
26. A considerably larger number of applications have this 
season been made to the Consulting Botanist. The undesirable 
practice of purchasing mixtures for laying down to grass, without 
specifying the seeds of which they are to be composed, is increasing. 
The quality and feeding value of foreign hay, needed to supply the 
deficiencies of the home produce, have been determined in several 
cases. 
27. Inquiries have been continued in reference to the disease in 
turnips known as “ finger and toe.” The evidence so far obtained 
points to the presence of the disease on one field of a farm and its 
absence on another field of the same farm as not being associated 
with any difference in the actual soil-constituents of the fields, but 
that one or the other may be affected according as the fungus may 
find its way on to it. But it seems also to be shown that where 
fields are affected the soil is always poor in lime, and that on soils 
possessing abundant lime the disease is not known. Experiments 
are now in progress to ascertain if any application of manures or 
chemical substances will prevent the fungus taking a hold on the 
soil, or will destroy it when once present. 
28. The passing of the Fertilisers and Feeding Stuffs Act of 1893 
does not appear as yet to have made any material difference to the 
analytical work carried on by the Society on behalf of its members. 
This may to some extent be due to the short time the Act has been 
in operation, but it is also more than likely that members of the 
Society find the procedure to be followed in submitting examples 
to the Consulting Chemist simpler and practically quite as effective 
as that necessitated by the Act, with its attendant regulations 
and precautions. From December 1, 1893, to April 30, 1894, the 
number of samples sent by members for analysis has been 642, as 
against 688 during the corresponding period of last year. 
29. The passing of the Fertilisers and Feeding Stuffs Act has, 
however, had one good effect, which has been abundantly brought 
out in the correspondence sent to the Consulting Chemist, viz., the 
obligation it imposes to give an invoice, which, in the case at least 
of fertilisers, must also state their essential fertilising ingredients. 
Experience has, however, shown that there are numerous ways of 
“ contracting out ” of the Act, or of vitiating its intent, and the 
giving of an invoice or even a guarantee does not necessarily imply 
that money’s worth is being obtained. Hence it is believed that 
there will be quite as much need as before for the vigilance of the 
Chemical Committee in suppressing and exposing adulteration, and 
for the assistance of the Consulting Chemist in advising members as 
to their purchases. There is reason to think that the order forms 
recently issued by the Society are made use of to a considerable 
extent by members, and that the instructions given in relation to 
