May, 1920] PHARMACOGNOSY 230 



plained primarily by the character of the initial invasi n, whether from infi ted soil or from 

 diseased seed tubers. The very general appearance of the diseasi many h( -t- in 



throughout Eolland is attributed chiefly to the severe drought of thai ' iiabil f 



overwintering in the p >ta1 tubers is chiefly responsible for th< il an ' • i lespread 



tribution of the fungus. Nothing new i n the control of the disease ered. 'I he author 



concludes after reviewing the possible lines of attack thai the development "f resistant 

 varieties in the most promising. — //. //. Whetzel. 



1G67. Vbrhobvbn, W. B. L. Zaaigraanonsmetting. [Disinfection of seed grain.] Tijd- 

 schr. Plantenz. 25: (Bijblad): 5-10. 1919. — Specific directions are given for the seed treat- 

 ment of the common cereals, wheat, oats, barley and rye, for protection against the common 

 muts, Fusariums and Helminthosporiums, which are seed borne. — //. //. Whetzel. 



1068. [Popp, M.] [Rev. of: Wagner, II. J. Wasserstoffionenkonzentration und natiir- 

 liche Immunitat der Pflanzen (Hydrogen-ion concentration and natural immunity of plants.) 

 Centralbl. Bakt. 33: 708-719. 1910.] Biedcrmann's Zentralbl. Agrikulturchem. 47: 258-259. 

 191S. — Injections of phytopathogenic bacteria cause plants to respond with variati qs in the 

 hydrogen-ion concentration. Immediately after injection the acidity decreases-. At the end 

 of the incubation period the acidity rises 0.2 to 0.3 per cent. If the plant is able to withstand 

 the infection the acidity then falls back to normal. If the plant is unable to withstand the 

 infection the hydrogen-ion concentration rises to a very high level and then falls usually be- 

 low the normal. If the infection is fatal there is usually a post-mortem rise in acidity. — 

 F. M. Schertz. 



1099. Wolf, F. A., and R. O. Cromwell. Clover stem rot. North Carolina Agric. Exp. 

 Sta. Tech. Bull. 16. 18 p., 8 pi. 1919.— First evidence of the disease is a sudden wilting of 

 stem and leaves. These portions succumb quickly turning yellowish and then brown. The 

 stems near the surface of the ground and stool are involved and are covered with a more 

 or less profuse mould-like growth. This is followed by the formation of black sclerotia on 

 the decaying stems. The roots are also involved and sclerotia formed on them remain in 

 the soil. The disease is prevalent from October to May and spreads outward from localized 

 areas causing an uneven stand. Under favorable conditions the stand may be rather uni- 

 formly destroyed. Sclerolinia trifoliorum is the cause of the disease. The hosts are red 

 clover, crimson clover, white clover, alsike clover, and alfalfa. Comparative studies of S. 

 trifoliorum and S. lihertiana were made and lettuce and crimson clover were infected when 

 inoculated with either organism. Comparative morphological studies indicate that S. liher- 

 tiana and S. trifoliorum are distinct species.— Fungus may be disseminated by sclerotia mixed 

 with the seed at harvest time. Other agencies of dissemination are contaminated soil, im- 

 plements, and hay. The organism is kept alive in soil by sclerotia which remain dormant 

 for some time. Burial of the sclerotia by deep plowing, avoidance of contaminated seed, 

 exercise of care when soil is used to inoculate new fields with legume bacteria, avoidance of 

 use of manure from stock fed on hay from infested fields, and adoption of a system of crop 

 rotation are recommended as control measures. — R. A. Jehle. 



PHARMACEUTICAL BOTANY AND PHARMACOGNOZY 



Henry Kbaemer, Editor 



NEW PLANTS FOR PHARMACEUTICAL USES 



1670. Arias, Bernardo. Una planta util. El cilantro de la tierra. [Coriander, a useful 

 plant.] Revist. Agric. Com. y Trab. 2: 343. 1 fig. 1919. — Attention is called t • use as a 

 condiment and medicine of Eryngium foetidum Linn., a plant common in Cuba. — F. M 

 Blodgett. 



1071. Fletcher, Geo. Red Cross work at the Royal College of Science. Jour. Dept. 

 Agric. Ireland 19: 322-326. 1919.— Describes sphagnum moss and its collection and use for 

 medical purposes. — Donald Folsom. 



BOTANICAL ABSTRACTS, VOL. Ill, NO. 5 



