278 NINETEENTH REPORT. 



His description of the fungus differs in certain details from that of 

 Cavara and from tliat given in this article. A discussion of these differ- 

 ences will be taken up later (p. 282). 



Volkart, A., (1903-1904), first recorded the presence of the disease 

 in Switzerland, remarking that heretofore the disease was known only 

 in Germany and in Italy. 



Orton. W. A., (1904), in discussing the American plant diseases for 

 1903, stated, "Comment was also caused by the presence of clover leaf- 

 spot Macrosporiiim sarcinae forme Cav. and Phyllacliora trifolii (Pers.) 

 (Fckl.) in Connecticut and New York. 



Bain, S. M., and Essary, S. H., (1905), noted the disease in Tennessee 

 thus: "A rather destructive disease caused by Macrosporium sarcinae- 

 forme Cav. is very frequent and widely distributed. It often appears 

 on stray alsike plants associated with red clover. The Macrosporium 

 disease appears to be capable of destroying the plants unassisted though 

 the statement is made only on field observation." 



Under the name of "Macrosporiose" the disease is referred to as 

 widely disseminated in America by Stevens and Hall (1910). 



Milburn, F., (and Bessey, E. A.,) (1915), stated that "the fungus 

 caused considerable damage on the leaves and stems of clover and lucerne, 

 and that it had been found inside the seed, causing non-germination. Such 

 diseased seed is shrunk and wrinkled, and milch darker than healthy 

 seed. The mode of infection is not known, but in all probability it 

 spreads from the stems and leaves to the seed." Dr. E. A. Bessey in- 

 formed the author that he confirmed the presence of the fungus Avithin 

 seed sent to him from England by Milburn. 



ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE. 



Since the disease has been so little noticed, little or notliiug lias been 

 recorded concerning the loss which it causes. However, during seasons 

 which are favorable to its spread the damage caused may be very great. 

 In East Lansing, during the 1915 season, fields were observed where the 

 damage ranged from a loss of 15 to 40 per cent of the crop. The loss 

 may be especially great when, as is often tlie case, the young crop is 

 attacked. The nature of the damage caused in the United States is in 

 certain cases given in the report of distribution, given below. 



DISTRIBUTION. 



The disease seems to be widely distributed on red clover, in Europe 

 and the United States. In Europe it has been reported from Italy, 

 (Cavara, 1890), Germany (Malkoff, 1902), Switzerland, (Volkart, 1903, 

 1904), and England, (Milburn, 1915). In the Iierbarium of the U. S. 

 Dept. of Agriculture there are specimens collected in Moravia, Austria, 



