460 SUMMARY OF CUEREMT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



New Amanita.* — Ph. Kiel describes this new Agaric very near to 

 the well-known fly-agaric Amanita miiscaria, but differing in the shape 

 of the spores, which are round, in the absence of any yellow colouring 

 under the cuticle, and in the strong nutty odour. It differs, too, in the 

 colour of the pileus, being at first of a creamy yellow, becoming 

 somewhat purplish grey, and finally dark sooty-brown. The species is 

 named Amanita Emilii. 



New Genus of Gastromycetes.t — The fungus was collected by Le 

 Eat in New Caledonia, and has been named by N. Patouillard Le Ratia 

 similis g. et sp. n. It grows about an inch in height, of a stalked 

 pyriform shape, and of a dull red colour. The pyrif orm head has a thin 

 peridium, the interior is a mass of small chambers lined with basidia. 

 The spores are ovoid and slightly coloured. 



Yeast-forming Fungi.J — The first of these, Gryptococcus sahnoneus, 

 was extracted from gastric juice. It was cultivated on a variety of 

 media, and tested in various ways. No ascospores were formed. A 

 second fungus, Oidium lactis, was also thoroughly studied by the same 

 worker, A. Sartory. This fungus is blamed for causing rancidity in 

 butter, and damaging cheese. Sartory gives the results of his various 

 cultures and experiments ; he did not find that the Oidium caused any 

 harm to animals in which it was inoculated. 



Some Injurious Fungi found in Ireland.§ — T. Johnson ascribes the 

 prevalence of fungal parasites in Ireland to the heavy rainfall and the 

 water-logged condition of much of the land. With better drainage, 

 conditions will be improved and plant diseases should be less common. He 

 has written a popular account of some of the more prevalent forms of 

 harmful fungi. Yellow blight of Potato has been regarded as due to 

 Sderotinia sclerotiorum : Johnson finds tliat the mischief is caused by a 

 Bacillus, B. jjhytophthorus ; he gives the reasons for holding this 

 opinion, and recounts his observations and experiments on the disease. 

 Other parasites of potatoes which he describes are : Spongospora Solani, 

 causing scabs and allied to Plasmodiophora, PJieUomi/ces, Rhizoctonia, 

 and Fusarium, all causing disease of the tubers. Advice is given as to 

 the best methods of storing tubers. Mangel heart-rot is caused by 

 Plioma BetcB, of which the perfect form is MycosphtereMa iabifira. It 

 is doing great harm in Ireland. The American gooseberry mildew is 

 described, and advice given as to the best methods of treating it. The 

 disease is also attacking the red and black currants and the raspberry. 

 Johnson considers that Government action is necessary to cope with the 

 disease. 



Some other diseases are briefly referred to : smut and barley " leaf- 

 streak" (the latter caused by Hehninthosporium yramineimi) and barley- 

 grain black spot. The black spots are due to groups of the dark- 

 coloured conidia of a Hyphomycete Alternaria tenuis. The paper is 

 illustrated by photographic plates. 



* Bull. Soc. Mycol. France, xxiii. (1907) pp. 1-8 (1 pi.). 



t Tom. cit., pp. 50-2 (1 fig.). % Tom. cit., pp. 28-49 (9 figs.). 



§ Econ. Proc. Roy. Dublin Soc, i. (1907) pp. 345-70 (4 pis.). 



