The Sterile Fungus Khizoctonia. 81 



leaving the main stem in tlie ground and many separate brandies in 

 the hand. The basal portions of these branches were disintegrated, 

 the wood elements being separated from each other as if the tissues 

 had been macerated. 



The rotting stems contained an abundance of Rhizoctonia^ various 

 other fungi and nematodes, which latter are, of course, expected to 

 occur in tissue so much decaj^ed. Although not yet tested by inoc- 

 ulation experiments, the indications are that Rhizoctonia killed the 

 plants. 



It is of interest to note that the plat in which the plants were 



growing had been planted with carnations in the season of 1899, 



and they are said to have suffered considerably from Rhizoctonia 



stem-rot. 



On Coreopsis lanceolata. 



Kext to the plat of Sweet Williams above mentioned there were 

 two rows of Coreopsis lanceolata which, so the owner informed us, 

 had been considerably diseased during the summer. Only a few of 

 the plants were killed outright, but from many of them the lower 

 leaves had rotted away. The rot seems to start in the base of the 

 petiole where it comes in contact with the soil. The decaying leaves 

 were overrun with Rhizoctonia^ but what relation the fungus bore 

 to the disease can only be conjectured. 



On the Yiolet, Viola odorata. 



In October, 1899, "two diseased violet plants were sent to us from 

 Little Falls, N. Y. Both of these plants showed Rhizoctonia^ lead- 

 ing to the suspicion that violets also are attacked by this fungus ; 

 but when a personal examination of the afflicted violet house was 

 made not another case of Rhizoctonia could be found. The trouble 

 was caused by Glceosj^orium violw. Moreover, the two Rhizoctonia- 

 infested plants were potted and placed in one of the Station green- 

 houses where they thrived and never after showed any ill effects 

 from the presence of the Rhizoctonia. 



About a year after this experience interest in the violet Rhizoc- 

 tonia was re visaed by Mr. Rolfs' discovery of a case of destructive 

 violet stem-rot in a greenhouse at Geneva. Here the affected plants 

 were abundantly infested by Rhizoctonia. At about the same time 

 6 



