ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 747 



carried out by himself. He discusses the effect of wounding the plants 

 at different stages of growth and their manner of regeneration ; he 

 compares this with normal growth, and pays special attention to the 

 monstrous forms that are occasionally met with, and the conditions that 

 have induced their growth. Finally, he discusses various phylogenetic 

 problems. 



Note on Phallus impudicus.* — G. de Coutouly describes how he 

 managed to root out this very disagreeable fungus from a small planta- 

 tion near a dwelling-house. A careful watch was kept, and as soon as 

 the " egg " was visible it was removed, and the ground was trenched 

 round the spot and treated with quicklime. The following season there 

 was no recurrence of the fungus. 



Mushroom Culture.! — P. M. Biers has written a description of the 

 culture as it is carried on in caves in France. These caves occur or 

 have been made in chalk or limestone districts, and the method of 

 culture dates from the beginning of the eighteenth century. The caves 

 must not be too damp or too dry, or the spawn will not develop properly. 

 Biers describes the making of the beds, the culture of fresh spawn, and 

 the different operations necessary in the culture. He also gives statistics 

 of the enormous extent and commercial importance of the industry. 



Mycological Notes: IV 4— F. von Hohnel continues his useful 

 examination of published species, whereby he has weeded out many 

 redundant species. Chistotheca papyropMa Zukal he finds to be 

 synonymous with the very common Pleospora herbarum. He also gives 

 a review of his new family Pseudosphaeriaceae, giving a list of the genera 

 and species that should be placed in it. A new genus of Sphaeropsideae, 

 Plectophoma, with somewhat peculiar sporophores, is described ; he con- 

 siders it to be the pycnidial stage of some small Discomycete. Descrip- 

 tions of several new species are also published. 



Fungicides.^ — Hermann Burmester has made an experimental study 

 of the different reagents employed to destroy fungus spores, especially of 

 smut and bunt on seeds. His work had special reference to the influence, 

 good or bad, of the fungicides on the vitality of the seeds. Copper 

 sulphate, formalin, hot air, and picric acid were tested both on seeds and 

 spores, and the results are tabulated under each heading. He concludes 

 that copper sulphate and formalin are both almost equally effective, and 

 much more to be recommended than either hot air or boiling water ; but 

 the choice ultimately rests with the agriculturalist, who must select the 

 method that is most practicable for him. 



Yorkshire Fungi. || — C. Crossland selected the study of fungi in 

 Yorkshire as the subject of his presidential address to the Naturalists' 

 Union at Halifax. The oldest record of a Yorkshire fungus is from 



* Bull. Soe. Mycol. France, xxiv. (1908) pp. 181-2. 

 f Tom. cit., 189 96 (4 pis.). 



X SB. k. Akad. Wiss. YVien, Math. -Nat. Kl., cxvi. (1907) pp. 615-47. See also 

 Hedwigia, xlvii. (1908) Beibl., pp. 167-9. 



§ Zeitschr. Pflanzenkr., xviii. (1908) pp. 154-87. 

 || Naturalist, 1908, pp. 81-96 and 147-56. 



3 D 9. 



