Fiingoid Diseases of tlie Strawberri/. 51 



as only occurring on dead and decaying leaves, and therefore not injurious, 

 may prove to be only the continued development of these same rusts. The 

 life history of many of the fungi is exceedingly complicated, and the connec- 

 tion between the different forms that the same species assumes at different 

 stages of its development has only been completely made out in a few lim- 

 ited groups, yet we can not hope to clearly understand their action, nor suc- 

 cessfully combat their attacks, till this difficult task is accomplished for all 

 our injurious species. The importance of this study to our agricultural and 

 horticultural interests can not be overestimated, but from the nature of the 

 difficulties to be surmounted it will proceed very slowly in the future as in 

 the past if it is left to the unaided exertions of private students. 



The importance of economic entomology is now so well understood that 

 the general government, as well as many of the States, appoint special of- 

 ficers, and provide them with all the necessarj^ aids for prosecuting this 

 study, and we all know that their labors have repaid many times the outlay. 

 Why should not the equally important and far more difficult study of eco- 

 nomic fungology receive at least equal recognition and support? 



The only species remaining to be considered does not attack the leaves, 

 but forms a white, moldy coating on the roots and crowns, causing them to 

 •decay. This coating consists of very delicate white threads, more or less 

 felted together. It is quite difficult to make out their true character under 

 the microscope, as they break to pieces at the slightest touch ; but Prof. Bur- 

 rill, of Champaign, Illinois, well known for his researches in this hne of 

 study, has determined them to consist of chains of the minute cells of an 

 undescribed species of Bacillus. This genus includes a number of the most 

 destructive of those lowest forms of vegetable life popularly known as Bac- 

 teria. It has long been known that many of the most fatal diseases of man 

 and the domestic animals are caused by these minute organisms, but Prof. 

 Burrill, in his able investigations of the causes of pear blight, was the first to 

 demonstrate that they also cause diseases of plants, and we see in this root 

 TOt of the strawberry another instance of the same kind. It occurs quite 

 frequently in Southern Illinois, especially in old neglected fields, and together 

 with the crown borer and the root worm, does much to prevent the profit- 

 able keeping over of plantations for more than one or two crops. This dis- 

 ease has been observed in Kentucky by both Mr. Decker and Mr. Samuels, 

 but has not been reported by any of my other correspondents. So far as I 

 know no remedies have been tried for it, but it would be a wise precaution 

 in setting new fields to use plants that are known to be free from it. 



In closing these hasty notes, I wish again to call the attention of the Soci- 

 ety to the importance of securing some provision for the systematic study of 

 the fungi and their relations to our agricultural and horticultural interests- 

 This could perhaps be brought about through the instrumentality of the 

 Department of Agriculture, and, in fact, a beginning has already been made 

 in this direction, as is shown by the carefully prepared series of water color 

 drawings of fungi in the exhibit of that Department in the Government 

 Building. 



