February, 1920] PATHOLOGY ''I 



415. Perkins, Joseph A. Preliminary report of a method for estimating in vivo the germi- 

 cidal activity of antiseptics. Ann. Surg. Philadelphia 68: 2-1! -244. 1918.— The count of organ- 

 isms secured by culture from the wound is regarded as more accurate than counts made 

 from smear preparations. — The applications of disinfectants (chlorinated compounds) to 

 the wounds caused marked drops in the plate counts. — (Abst. by G. II. S[mith| in Abst. Bact. 

 2, Entry 1917.1 



416. Regan, W. S. Progress of experiments for destroying Ribes with chemicals. Ilept. 

 White Pine Blister Rust Control, Amer. Plant Pest Committee Bull. 2: 15-10. 1919. — 

 Undiluted fuel-oil applied as a fine spray to foliage and twigs produced defoliation and under 

 favorable conditions the bark was penetrated and the bushes killed. Two or three appli- 

 cations were necessary to kill skunk currants in the shade. Other less effective foliage 

 sprays tested included sodium arsenite, salt solution, kerosene and several proprietary mix- 

 tures. One of the latter at 1 to 60 strength killed the foliage of skunk currants in 5 hours 

 in a sunny exposure; 1 to 40 strength killed the foliage in 15 minutes. Of several liquids 

 and oils applied at the base of the bushes, "dip" oil has given the most satisfactory results. 

 — W. H. Rankin. 



417. Spaulding, Perley. Investigations in the United States Department of Agriculture- 

 Rept. White Pine Blister Rust Control, Amer. Plant Pest Committee Bull. 2 : 11-13. 1919. — 

 Investigations carried on at Block Island, Rhode Island; Kittery Point, Maine; North Con- 

 way, New Hampshire, and Lewis, New York. Aeciospores of Cronartium ribicola were 

 caught in traps at an altitude of 2700 feet above the nearest known source of spores which 

 was five and one-half miles distant. Spore-traps 20 feet above fruiting cankers caught 

 many more spores than did traps at either side or below. Aeciospores are disseminated for 

 miles away from their source; they retain their viability for weeks and show a higher per- 

 centage of germination than the other spores. Urediniospores were found by spore-traps to 

 be limited in their dissemination to a distance of one to three hundred yards. — -At Lewis, 

 New York, rain periods were followed in due time by new generations of spores on Ribes. 

 Seven distinct generations were noted. Sporidia abundantly produced in September and 

 thereafter. These spores were caught at no distance over 200 feet from the infected bushes. — 

 Evidence seems to warrant the belief that a Ribes-free zone of from 100 to 600 yards 

 according to topographic and other conditions will protect pines from infection. Uredinio- 

 spores from over-wintered leaves under bushes were used in successful infection experiments 

 in March (See Phytopath. 8:617-619. 1918).— W. H. Rankin. 



418. Thomas, C. C. Seed disinfection by formaldehyde vapor. Jour. Agric. Res. 17: 

 33-39. 1 fig. 1919. — The danger involved in treating many kinds of seeds with liquid disin- 

 fectants led to trials with formaldehyde vapor. The seeds are spread out on trays and cov- 

 ered tightly. A small jet of steam is admitted to the container and formaldehyde is injected 

 into the steam intake by air pressure. The film of condensation water about the seeds evap- 

 orates quickly setting free the gas. — Various kinds of seeds were tested and none was in- 

 jured materially by treatment for 2 hours with formaldehyde used at the rate of 30 ounces 

 of solution (40 per cent) to 1000 cubic feet. Under similar conditions masses of bacteria and 

 of spores of several parasitic fungi were killed by using 20 ounces of formaldehyde to 1000 

 cubic feet. Masses of spores of four species of Fusarium were not killed when subjected to 

 treatment for 2 hours with vapor at the rate of 30 ounces to 1000 cubic feet. — D. Reddick. 



419. Weldon, G. P. Pear blight epidemic in mountain countries. Month. Bull. Cali- 

 fornia Comm. Hortic. 7:459. 1918. — Pear blight (Bacillus amylovorus) was very severe in 

 higher altitude sections of California, places where, before this season (1918), it was scarcely 

 known. — D. Reddick. 



420. Winston, G. R., and EL R. Fulton. The field testing of copper-spray coatings. 

 U. S. Dept. Agric. Bull. 785. 9 p.. fig. 1-4. 1919.— The authors point out that varying local 

 conditions make the spray calendar inadequate, and therefore a suitable chemical test of the 



