ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY. MIGROaCOPY, ETC. 75 



In the same Journal H. C. Scliellenberg * pulslishes a paper on the 

 Sderotinia of the mulberry and of the beam tree. He found the 

 mummified fruits of the mulberry in the early part of the year, and 

 proved that they differed morphologically from the Sderotinia that is 

 found on the quince. He cultivated the sclerotia, and towards the end 

 of April he obtained the apothecia which he describes in full detail. 

 Infection experiments were carried out with the ascospores, and it was 

 found that the young shoots of the mulberry were the parts that were 

 first attacked by the fungus and later the leaves. Very soon the conidial 

 growth appeared. In the moist spring of 1905, the trees were badly 

 attacked and nearly all the young fruits were infected. If tlie flower is 

 infected before fertilisation it withers off, if after fertilisation, the fungus 

 develops with the fruit, which it gradually mummifies. Sderotinia 

 Mespili is compared with Sd. Gydoniae on the quince, and the differences 

 noted in development and mode of growth. 



The similar fungus of the beam tree, Sderotinia Ariae, is next de- 

 scribed. It was found to be distinct from Sd. Aucuparia, and would 

 not infect Sorhus Aucuparia. In this case also the flower is attacked. 

 The spores germinate on the stigma and pass through the style to the 

 young fruit, which soon becomes a hard mummified mass of mycelium. 

 These hard fruits lie on the soil mostly two years before they germinate. 

 In this case the young shoots are not affected by the fungus. These 

 different fungi are well illustrated, and detailed diagnoses are given of 

 the species. 



Development of Ergot.t — Erich Tscliermak writes on the condi- 

 tions that favour the growth of Ergot in various cereals. A prolonged 

 duration of the flowering season is distinctly favoural)le to the spread of 

 the fungus. It does not depend on the fertility of the grain, for sterile 

 plants often develop sclerotia in their flowers. In dry warm weather 

 the opening of the glumes is quick and fructification is soon over, so that 

 the chance of infection is much lessened. There are certain varieties of 

 cereals that flower quickly and these should be preferred. Ergot is rare 

 in barley, though the flowers at the top of the head are often open and 

 liable to infection. 



Thielavia basicola.J — This fungus has been found growing on the 

 roots of Senecio eJegans and various other plants. E. Aderhold who 

 discovered it in the roots of diseased begonias, made successful cultivations 

 on sterilised pears, gelatin, etc. The colourless conidia were produced and 

 later the brown forms. Aderhold then attempted to transfer the fungus 

 to the roots of Begonia semjjerjiorens, but without success. He noted 

 also that in plants attacked, it was always at the " neck " of the roots 

 that the fungus was situated. He does not think that it is at all an 

 active parasite. 



Germination of Sclerotia of Claviceps purpurea.§ — After a series of 

 experiments with this fungus Zimmerman sets out the results arrived 



* Centralb. Bakt., xvi. (1906) pp. 188-202 (4 pis.). 



t Fiihling's Landw. Zeit., Iv. (1906) pp. 194-9. See also Centralbl. Bakt., 

 xvii. (1906) pp. 274-5. 



X Arb. Biol. Abt. Laud. Forstvv. k. Gesundh., iv. (1905) pp. 463-5. See also 

 Ann. MycoL, v. (1906) pp. 461-2. 



§ Zeitschr. Pflanzenkr., xvi. (1906) pp. 129-31. 



