144 



TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 





sons would suspect the coating was any thing but dust, yet a moment's 

 glance through the microscope would convince them of their error. Here 

 again we have the two kinds of fruit, the first of which has nothing essen- 

 tially different from the above described ; but the second differs in the 

 remarkable and beautiful appearance of the projecting filaments or arms. 

 It is roughly represented in Fig. 5 ; but one needs to see the coloring of 



the ball with its reticulations, the crys- 

 talline purity of the curiously-forked 

 appendages, and the regularity and 

 beauty of the curled tips, to appreciate 

 how fine an artist Nature is, even in 

 her lowest expressions. The fungus 

 belongs to the genus AIicrosph(eria. 



All of these leaf parasites belong 

 to the same family i^Pcrisporiacea) and 

 all grow upon the surface of their host 

 \i\\\\oy\\. penetrating \.\\Q tissues, and in 

 consequence are easily destroyed wher- 

 ever external applications can be made. 

 Nothing is probably better than sulphur 

 dusted upon the affected parts. The 

 grape mildew I^Erysiphe tuckerii) be- 

 longs to the same group of plants, and 

 has long been treated in this manner. 

 In the greenhouses, the thick- 

 leaved plants, as lemons, oranges, ca- 

 mellias, ivies, poinsetteas, etc., are 

 often preyed upon by quite a different fungus, a species of Ante?iaria, 

 whose full history is still debatable, but agrees with the foregoing in being 

 confined to the surface. The leaves appear to be coated with soot, or a 

 black, brittle felt which may be scraped or peeled off, leaving the surface 

 clean and green. Under the microscope it is seen to be composed of 

 closely interwoven threads, jointed in a bead-like fashion, with here and 

 there upright filaments whose joints readily separate and disseminate the 

 fungus. It may be destroyed by sulphur, or brushed or washed off. Let 

 alone, it spreads from plant to plant, causing slow but sure disease. 



Fig. 5. Lilac Mould. 



LANDSCAPE GARDENING. 



Dr. J. M. Gregory, Regent of the Illinois State Industrial Univer- 

 ssity. Committee on Landscape Gardening, was unable to be with us, but 

 sent the following essay, which was, at the request of the Secretary, read 

 by Mr. Starr, in an appreciative manner : 



I have already, on a former occasion, had the honor to lay before 

 this Society some views on landscape gardening, or rather on the orna- 

 mentation of home grounds. In obedience to your request I come 



