ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, .MICROSCOPY, ETC. 85 



fungus belongs to the genus Acrostalagmus, and was named by Gueguen 

 A. Vilmorini f. Thomensis. Though the insect was generally present, 

 some fruits were attacked where no insect was to be found. The author 

 advises spraying and washing by arsenide of copper, a poison that would 

 destroy both the insect and the spores of the fungus. 



Griffon and Maublanc* have examined a microscopic fungus on the 

 branches of pear-trees-, causing spots and dried areas which become 

 somewhat large and deep wounds, resulting in the death of the smaller 

 twigs. The authors found on the twigs several different fungi already 

 described, species of Spheeropsis and Diplodia, usually saprophytic, but 

 able in certain conditions to become harmful parasites. Two of these 

 fungi, Spkseropsis malorum and S. pseudo-diplodia have been pre- 

 viously recognized as saprophytes or parasites both in Europe and 

 America. The third fungus, Diplodia sp., which was found on the 

 branches of pear-trees at Grignon, has been left undetermined. 



A series of notes f on plant pathology have been made by T. Petch. 

 He calls attention to " pink disease " of Hevea, which is due to Corticium 

 java ii ic urn, and recommends coal-tar for healing up wounds caused by 

 pruning. 



A disease of tomatoes % is ascribed to the Bacillus solanacearum, 

 causing the leaves to wilt. The bacteria live in the root, and plants 

 should be dug up and burned. A root disease of tea caused by Poria 

 hypolateritia was supposed to be confined to high altitudes, but cases 

 occurred recently in the lower districts. The Poria is thin and pink in 

 colour, and attacks the tree at the soil surface. In the same paper it is 

 stated that old stumps form a starting point for diseases that spread to 

 living trees. Thus Ustulina zonata passes from Grevillea stumps to tea- 

 trees near by. 



Preventive measures § are being taken in Ceylon, Petch informs his 

 readers, against the importation of diseased tea seed from districts in 

 India infested with " blister blight," due to the leaf -fungus Exobasidium 

 vexans. 



The wilt disease || of pepper has been ascribed to an eel-worm, but 

 Nectria fruits and mycelium have been found on the dying trees, and are 

 probably the cause of the mischief. 



Tea seedlings If were found to have been killed by a species of 

 Fusarium, which attacks at the soil level and kills the young tree about 

 an inch above the ground ; when the fungus penetrates the wood the 

 supply of water is stopped and the plant dies. Sterilizing of seed-beds 

 is recommended. 



A number of diseases** on the roots of trees have also been described 

 by Petch. Hevea is attacked among other fungi by Sphserostilbe repent. 

 In the first case recorded, three large trees twenty-five years old were 

 killed. The fungus burrows below the bark of the root, where it forms 



* Bull. Soc. Mycol. France, xxvi. (1910) pp. 307-16 (2 pis. and 2 figs.), 

 t Tropical Agric, xxxiii. (1909) No. 5. J Tom. cit., No. 6. 



§ Tropical Agric, xxxiv. (1910) No. 2. Tom. cit., No. 6. 



U Op. cit., xxxv. (1910) No. 3. 



** Circ. and Agric. Journ. Roy. Bot. Gard. Cevlon, v. No. 8 (1910) pp. 65-71 

 (2 pis.). 



