14 Agricultural Experiment Station^ Ithaca, N. Y. 



of two important parasitic fungi. One, causing a disease of cur- 

 rant canes, has, for several years, been reported in different sec- 

 tions of the state, and indeed from other states, but up to this time 

 the cause and the development of the organism has been unknown. 

 Dr. Durand has succeeded in following out and determining the 

 complete life history of the parasite, and will soon have the matter 

 ready for publication as a bulletin. 



The development of a fungus parasite of stone fruits, Clado- 

 sporium carpophilum, is also being carefully investigated by Dr. 

 Durand, and the matter is in a fair way for completion. 



Besides these Investigations there has been much work of a 

 routine kind, in the way of determining specimens of fungi that 

 have come to our hands for this purpose. 



Some extensive experiments have also been carried on in deter- 

 mining the number of bacteria in milk at different stages in the 

 pasteurization of the same; and we have now in progress studies 

 of some peculiar organisms which give an uneven and undesirable 

 coloring to cheese during its curing. The trouble exists in several 

 of the cheese factories of the state. 



The needs of the division are so great that I hesitate to enumer- 

 ate even any of them. It is desirable that an assistant should be 

 able to give his entire time to the investigation of the numerous 

 problems that are arising in connection with the diseases of plants, 

 and that the division should be otherwise relieved by an instructor 

 who could give his entire time to the instruction in the laboratory 

 and the care of the Cryptogamic Herbarium. There are many 

 important problems which can not be even entered upon without 

 continued assistance and the opportunities which would come from 

 the appropriation of a larger fund to the division. All of the 

 work is of such a character that it requires expensive apparatus 



