212 SUMMARY OF GUERENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



attacked and destroyed the heart-wood of Picea rubefis ; the sporophores 

 of the fungus were not found. A Hst of the fungi, with locality, 

 habitat and biological notes, is appended. A. L. 8. 



Fungi of the Wilkes Expedition. — William W, Diehl {Myco- 

 logia, 1912, 13, 38-41). The fungi of the Expedition were named by 

 Berkeley and Curtis and published — 31 species, 8 of them new to science. 

 Since that publication they have fallen aside, but search has been made 

 and a number of specimens, including the types of the new species, have 

 been found in the U.S. Department of Agriculture (Bureau of Plant 

 Industry). Diehl publishes a list of the species, marking by an asterisk 

 those that are preserved in the herbarium. A. L. S. 



Deterioration of Cotton in Wet Storag-e. — Nancy Fleming and 

 Aage Christian Thaysen {Biochemical Journal, 1920, 14, 21-8, 1 pi.). 

 It was found that cotton kept in store in damp conditions became 

 brittle and short-fibred, the damage done being often very considerable. 

 It was found that micro-organisms were responsible for the deteriora- 

 tion of the fibres, mainly bacteria and a Schizomycete, some form of 

 Streptothrix. These attack and decompose the cellulose, causing a 

 sfeneral weakening or a breaking up of the fibres to the condition known 

 as " fly." ' A. L. S. 



New or Unusual Plant Injuries and Diseases found in Con- 

 necticut, 1916-19.— G. P. Clinton {Conn. Agric. Exp. Stat. Bull., 

 1920, 222, 397-482, 24 pis.). The author discusses all diseases and 

 injuries of economic plants in the State of Connecticut, more especially 

 those caused by fungi. He gives first an account of two cases of fungus 

 trouble, not on living plants ; the first of these is dry-rot, which was 

 gradually destroying the woodwork of a house in the county. The 

 attack is described and the means used to eradicate the fungus and 

 prevent its recurrence ; the diseased wood was burnt, the new wood 

 creosoted where possible, and ventilation provided. The second 

 instance of trouble was the injury caused to butter by moulds — probably 

 infected from mouldy cheese. Five different moulds were isolated and 

 cultured. 



The diseases of plants are described under the different hosts 

 arranged in alphabetical order from Apple to Willow. All forms of 

 trouble are included in the survey : fungi, soil troubles, smoke, etc. 

 Tlius under Potato some fourteen different forms of injury are described. 

 The illustrations are mostly photographic. A. L. S. 



Development of Cyathus fascicularis, C. striatus, and Crucibulum 

 vulgare. -Leva B. Walker {Bet. Gaz., 1920, 70, 1-24, 6 pis., 3 figs.). 

 Pure cultures of the species were obtained by planting the peridioles on 

 agar media. Mycelium was transferred to sterile loam, old leaves, etc., 

 in flask cultures. Light was necessary for the formation of the fruits 

 which begin as minute white mycelial knots. Development was followed 

 of the basidiocarps, the peridioles with their funiculi, and of the 

 peridium, etc. 



All three species were easily grown, but specimens matured only in 

 Cyathus fascicularis. The mycelia of all are very similar except for 



