CO? Y
JOHN INNES HORTICULTURAL INSTITUTION

Bayfordbury
-al Hertford
pont sen Herts.
Your References: Seventh
RSE.5S/WMM/GRP December
1954
Dear Sir United States

(F.A.0.) Research Fellowships

in renly to your letter about Mr. P.R. Day I have
oleasure in giving my ovinion of his Suitability for a fellow~
shin.

I have known Mr. Day since 1946 when he Game to work
as a temoorary student at this Institution. During the last
three years he has been working in the Genetics Devartment
under my suvervision. Tf can, therefore, write about him with
some authority.

Firstly, I must say that I have every confidence in
Day, and have no reservations whatever to make on his suitability
for the fellowshio. He is intelligent and hard-workine, and
has the ability and the tenacity to Dursue successfully a
difficult research »roblem. His relations with both his senior
and junior colleugues are excellent, and I have no doubt that
this fact and his adaptability would make him welcome in any
laboratory. He has wide interests and bakes preab vains to
obtain information in all branches of his sub ject. He has
always made the most of any Visit to Society meetings or other
laborutories, and I am sure that he would obtain the maximum
benefit from a visit to the United States.

His work has been on the Genetics of resistance to
Cladosvorium fulvum in the Tomato; a oroblem which involves
the origin and nature of vooaysiolosical strains of the varasite.
This work has viven him not only the technical experience of
handling fungi in vure culture, techniques of inducing and
selecting mutants in microorganisms, and the bresding and
inoculation of plants, but has also given him the exnerience
Dr. D.C. Martin 2 GContdece.s.

to Garry out research with a minimum of suoervision.

Zi am certain that an expansion of the Genetics of
nhysiological svecialigation and varasitism in general will
yield valuable Fésults. The exnerience Day would obtein
in American Laboratories, where the Genetics of microorganisms
and varasitism have been develoved, would equiv him for further
research.

Mr. Day has not sublished much on his work yet but he
has read two invited »xavers to Scientific societies and is

oresenting a Thesis for the degree of Ph.D. in Maren, 1954.

I know that, if successful, he intends to take his
wife and child : this will be an asset for Mrs. Day, who has
&@ university degree, is extremely resourceful and would be
able to augment the value of the fellowshiv.

Yours faithfully,

san. D. Lewis, Ph.D.,D.Sc.
ad of the Genetics Dsvartment

Dr. D.C. Martin,
Assistant Secretary,
The Royal Society,
3urlington House,
London W.1.