EXPERIMENT STATION REPORTS. 213 



*10. What is their influence on the osmotic pressure of tlie leaves and 

 the spurs? 



National Research Council Project: 



We regret that the lack of funds required us to drop this projest this 

 past year. We hope that before long this co-operation Avith the Na- 

 tional Kesearch Council can be renewed. 



Soil Tetnperature Project: 



In co-operation with the Ecological Society of America the Michigan 

 Experiment Station has been gathering soil temperature data for the 

 past five years. Since this work did not require much money or time it 

 was continued as usual. 



Very sincerely yours, 



K. P. HIBBAED, 

 Plant Physiologist. 



Dr. E. A. Bessey, Professor of Botany, M. A. C. : 



Dear Sir: — I wish to submit the following report of progress on the 

 various projects in Plant Pathology under my immediate charge. 



Adams Project 5b: 



On this project which has to do with determining the various biologi- 

 cal reactions of plant pathogens of the Sphaeropsidales group, work 

 along the lines of methodology has been carried on rather intensively so 

 long as animals and space were available. The work is carried on co- 

 operatively with Dr. Stafseth of the Bacteriological Department and 

 has dealt Avith the development of precipitins by the use of fungous cul- 

 tures prepared in various ways. In general, summarizing the results of 

 many tests with rabbits, it may be said that the development of precipi- 

 tins capable of giving a strong decisive precipitate or clouding by use 

 of ground cultures is not promising because of several factors: (1) the 

 low percentage or protein in the mycelial mat used, (2) the difficulties 

 inherent in the grinding and preparation of the mycelial mat, and (3) 

 the loss of experimental animals through anaphylactic shock during 

 the later injections. 



From results obtained with closely allied fungi it is very evident that 

 serum reactions will differentiate the fungi readily. The problem then 

 resolves itself into one of development of methods. With the estab- 

 lishment of a fixed routing it will be very easy to make several very 

 important applications of this method of diagnosis. 



Along another line of attack considerable progress has been made by 

 the use of dyes as a means of differentiating related organisms. This 

 work which is being carried out under my direction by Miss Miriam C. 

 Carpenter gives promise of making dye utilization in the study of fungi 

 as useful a tool as it is in the study of bacteria. 



Hatch Fund Projects: 



Under this head various minor investigations are carried on. Work 

 on the plant disease survey which aims to determine the distribution of 

 plant pathogens in the state and their severity in causing crop loss has 



