220 SUMMARY OF CUERENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



from the Alpes-Maritimes had GJceospormm growing on them, but it seemed 

 doubtful if the disease was not really due to weather conditions. The 

 fungus G. olivarum had been previously reported from Portugal. The 

 authors recapitulate the fungi found by them parasitic on apples and 

 pears. They give the diagnoses of Lasiostroma pirorum g. etsp. n., and 

 of Phoma umbilicaris sp. n. 



A disease of carps was considered by them to be caused by Saprolegnia. 

 They found bacteria, but they iield that the fungus was the parasite 

 that injured the fishes. 



G. Fron * gives new observations on the diseases of seedling Conifers : 

 Lophodermium hrachysporum attacks the leaves of Piniis Strobus, the 

 mycelium gaining entrance to the leaf at the point of insertion on the 

 branch. The leaves soon become brown and dried up. Glocosporium 

 taxicolum destroys the leaves and branches of Taxus haccata, invading 

 the young leaves and shoots on which it forms its pustules. The disease 

 has not, so far, assumed serious proportions. 



V. Ducomet f has published his researches on some diseases of culti- 

 vated p)lants. He describes Fusidadium Amygdali, a fungus causing a 

 disease of the almond. The under surface of the leaves becomes covered 

 with olivaceous spots ; the shoots also are attacked and become brown 

 and cracked. A potato disease, due to Gercospora concors, is not of great 

 significance, as the leaves attacked are, as a rule, already weakened by 

 some other fungus. Other parasites are commented on. 



G. Massee % publishes an account of the damage done to sweet peas, 

 asters, and other cultivated plants, by the Pyrenomycetous fungus 

 TTiielavia hasicola. It takes several forms during the life-cycle, the 

 conidial stage being originally described by Berkeley as ToruJa basicola. 

 The seeds are attacked in the ground, the plumule and radicle being 

 destroyed. In other cases the root is attacked at a later stage and the 

 plant is killed or very seriously injured. Massee recommends a solution 

 of commercial formalin as the most effective fungicide for sterilizing the 

 soil and so stamping out the fungus wliich would otherwise persist on 

 the decaying humus, manure, etc. 



Potato-diseases. § — A. S. Home has given the history and a full 

 description of two diseases of potatoes, the one caused by the fungus 

 known as Chry,wpMyctis endobiotica, or more recently Synchytrmm endo- 

 bioticum, or S. Solani ; the other due to Spongospora Solani. The first of 

 these was reported to the Horticultural Society, in 1902. Since then 

 the disease has spread widely and done much damage. Several workers 

 have followed the development of the fungus, but much work remains 

 to be done before it is fully understood. S. Solani is also dealt with at 

 length. The two diseases are compared and observations are given on 

 the value of soil treatment to stamp out the diseases. 



Biology of Mycorhiza Fungi. || — W. Schatz considers unproved the 

 hypothesis of Stahl, that Mycorhiza is associated with plants that have 



* Bull. Soc. Mycol. France, xxvii. 1911) pp. 476-81 (5 figs.). 

 t Ann. Ecole Agric. Kennes, iv. (1910) 30 pp. (1 fig ). See also Bull. Soc. Mycol. 

 France, xxvii. (1911) pp. 512-13. 



X Bull, Roy. Gardens, Kew (1912) pp. 44-52 (1 pL). 

 § Journ. Roy. Hort. Soc, xxxvii. 1911) pp. 362-89 (8 pis.). 

 II Diss. (Jena, 1910), 68 pp. See also Bot. Centralbl., cxix. (1912) pp. 19-20. 



