Vol. IX. No. 208. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



127 



produced; each ascus is often separated from the others by 

 a mass of soft tissue, or the asci are formed in irregular lines. 

 The fructification may be of a fairly soft, fleshy consistency, 

 and coloured, or black and hard outside, though softer and 

 colourless within. This group includes the black fungus 

 parasitic on scale insects (yil yrianiiiutu Dnriaei), and the 

 genus Meliola, one of the black blight fungi. Fig. 22 shows 

 part of the stroma and fructification of J/i/riaio/iuM Duriat-i, 

 as seen in longitudinal section: (a) represents the tissue of 

 the branch on which the fungus is growing; (b) the black, 

 hard stroma; (c) the transparent white tissue from which the 

 asci — whose position is represented by the circular spaces — 

 are produced. 



The i'YRENOMYcnTE.s. Here the fructifications are peri- 

 thecia, or hollow bo.xes, in which thi' asci and paraphyses are 

 produced. They may be superficial, or inmiersed in the sub- 

 stratum, borne simply on, or in, a .stroma; they may be of 

 different colours and different consistency. The asci usually 

 contain eight spores, which are unicellular or multicellular, 

 coloured or colourless, and of manj- different shapes. All 

 these characters are of value in subdividing the groups. For 

 instance, in the Perisporiale.s, the perithecia open with a lid, 

 or simply decay. In the Hypocreales, Sphaeriales and 

 Dothideales the spores are extruded, when ripe, through 

 a pore at the top of the perithecium. 



In the Hypocreales, the perithecia, and stroma when 

 present, are fleshy and coloured. In the Sphaeriales, they are 

 black and hard, either scattered and superficial, or grouped in 

 a stroma. In the Dothideales, the perithecia arc simply 

 hollow spaces in the black stroma. To these groups belong 

 many common parasites in these islands. For e.xample, the 

 various species of Xertria causing diseases of cacao belong to 

 the Hypocreales. The fungus causing rind disease of the 

 sugar-cane, Tticliufjihniria sarrhnri, is a member of the 

 Sphaeriales; Sji/iarrostil/je rorrophil't, the red-headed fungus, 

 and 0/thionc'ct)-ia an-cicohi, the white-headed fungus of scale 

 insects, are included in the Hypocreales, and there are several 

 other examples. 



In the Agrindtwal Newa, Vol. VIII, p. 200, a figure is 

 given of Sphnerostilhe Jianldum, a typical member of the 

 Hypocreales. In this plate, Fig. 5 represents a cluster of the 

 perithecia of the fungus, with the conidial form of fruit as 

 well. The perithecia are shown further magnified in Fig G. 

 They are bright-red in colour, while the conidial fruits are 

 yellow and semi-transparent. Fig. 7 shows an ascus with 

 eight bicellular ascospores. 



This concludes the di.scu.ssion of the different groups 

 of the Ascomycetes. Some further remarks on the other spore 

 forms found among them will appear in the nest number of 

 the Afivicuhunil News. 



CARE OF MINOR ARTICLES USED ON 



ESTATES. 



The Bureau of Plant Industry of the United 

 States Department of Agriculture has just issued 

 a circular (No. 44) ent,itled Mi nor Articles of Farm 

 Equipment. Although the conditions for which it 

 was written are different fronn those in the West 

 Indies, several of the points dealt with in it are 

 important in relation to general agricultural practice, 

 and these have been extracted, in view of their interest 

 and suggestiveness. 



Among the losses in farming to which, because of their 

 apparent unimportance, little attention has been directed, is 



the waste which occurs through a general lack of compre- 

 hension as to the extent and value of the minor articles 

 which are necessary to the smooth running of a farm. This 

 waste is exhibited in extra expense through the purchase of 

 unnecessary tools and materials; in the loss of time and dis- 

 counts in buying numerous articles, singly or in .small lots; in 

 the loss, theft, and rapid depreciation of items of equipment 

 considered too insignificant to require -systematic care; and in 

 the losses in many directions, through the lack, or the 

 misplacement, of equipment at times when it is urgently 

 needed. 



The total cost of the miscellaneous articles is usually 

 much higher than the estimates given by farmers ami writers 

 on agricultural subjects, but owing to the great number of 

 small purchases made, this fact is seldom realized except by 

 the few who have made careful inventories at stated intervals. 

 Ignorance of this leads farmers in general to neglect an 

 extremely valuable portion of their equipment, and it would 

 probably be found that the decrease in value of the small 

 articles is much more rapid than that of the major items, for 

 which an annual rate of depreciation of 7-3 per cent, has 

 been established. The low estimates regarding this part of 

 the equipment also prove disappointing to the manager of 

 a new faiming venture, who finds it necessary to make an 

 increased outlay on this account, attended by a readjustment 

 of his plans. 



The im[iortance of having a good working e(juipnient in 

 small articles, and the absolute necessity of caring for it, are 

 matters which should be apparent to the thoughtful farmer 

 and need not be dwelt upon further. The waste of time in 

 making numerous special trips for small articles is also appar- 

 ent, particularly when it is considered that many of these 

 occur in the busiest .seasons. This could be avoided to a large '■ 

 extent by taking an inventory during a slack period, and 

 replacing all missing items at the first opportunity. 



The nature of the minor equipment will be determined 

 largely by the character of the farm enterprises, and by the 

 proximity of repair and shopping facilities; while its extent 

 may be governed by the size of the farm, the number of 

 workmen, and the financial circum.stances of the proprietor. 

 Perhaps both the nature and the extent of the minor equip- 

 ment will be influenced most by the farmer's attitude in 

 regard to small economies, and by his ability to use tools to 

 the best advantage. 



To the owner of a farm who has had no occasion from 

 time to time to collect his mi.scellaneous equipment and to 

 take account of its extent, the advisability is suggested of 

 taking an annual inventory of the small, as well as of the 

 large, equipment, in order to keep track of his investment. 

 The practice of taking an annual inventory, even of the larger 

 pieces of machinery, is not as common as it .should be, and in 

 many cases where an invoice is taken, the 'small stuff' is lumped 

 in one item. During the process of taking the inventories 

 used in compiling this circular, the owner almost invariably 

 expressed astonishment at the extent to which his capital 

 was invested in miscellaneous minor articles. 



To sum up, few farmers realize the extent of their invest- 

 ment in small items of equipment, or the time and incon- 

 venience involved in buying numerous articles, singly or in 

 small lots. Before planning the farm equipment, due con- 

 sideration should be given to the necessary outlay for minor 

 items and, where iiossible, the latter should be secured atone 

 purchase, thereby .saving time and, usually, inoney. The 

 purchase of these articles in such a manner will mean a total 

 expenditure sufficient to impress the farmer with the need 

 for their .systematic care. 



