452 EXPERIMENT STATION RK(^()KD. 



In 11k> studies reported siiecessful cultures linve l»eeu luiide of 23 spofies 

 which liave been previously Krowu iu cultures and reported by the author or 

 other invest ijrators and 10 species the cultures of which are now reported for 

 the first time. Auioufr the latter it is shown that Puccinia ahsinthii has no 

 .'ecidial stajie in its life cycle. Successful inoculations were made with /'. 

 iiHicro.sixira from Carcx cumosn sown on Smilux hispida, P. patruelin from C. 

 prtitoisis sown on Agoscrifi phiiica, P. rinrrca from PucrlnrUia niroidrs on 

 n.i'i/!)r(iiilii.s <!iiiihahiria, P. halcrUr from KaUria crlxiaid on MahonUt (Kjiii- 

 foliinn, P. (iltcriKins from Bvomtia portcri on Thnlictrinn (Jioicuin, J', ohlitcrata 

 from A(/ropi/ron hiflorum on .\<niU<gia canadrnsix, P. muJilenhcrf/iw from 

 MiihUnhcrfi'id glomcrata on Callirrhw inroliirrala, (jijmnosponnu/iuui liborrdri 

 from Lihrjccdriix dccurrcna on Crato'f/ii.s pringlri, and (1. cxtcrum from Jitnipcriis 

 rirf/hiiaiKi on J'orteranflni.s slipiddtiis. 



The occurrence and cultivation of Pyronema, F. J. ,Si;avku (Mycolof/ia, 1 

 (1909), Ko. .'/, pp. 131-139, pis. .'i). — This fungus, which normally occurs on 

 burnt places, can be successfully cultivated on nutrient media. It produces an 

 abundance of fruit on soil or leaf mold that has been sterilized by heating to a 

 high temperature, but will not fruit nor grow to any considerable extent on 

 unsterilized soil or soil heated to temperatures less than 95° C. Steam ster- 

 ilization serves the same purpose as sterilization with dry heat, provided the 

 soil is sterilized under considerable pressure. Soil sterilized at 110° produces 

 a fair quantity of fruit, while soil sterilized at 135-14.5° produces fruit iu 

 abundance. 



As a practical application of these facts the author states that sterilization 

 of soil by heat apparently brings about some changes in the soil other than the 

 destruction of bacteria and fungi, which changes appear to be of vital im- 

 portance in the cultivation of fungi which normally grow on burnt soil. 



Some host plants of Orobanche ramosa, E. Noffray (Jour. Agr. Prat., n. 

 scr., 18 (1909), Xo. J,G, pp. 670, 67/).— Attention is called to the fact that O. 

 ramosa is usually described as an annual plant, but the author states that this 

 is due to the fact that its most common host plants, which are tobacco, hemp, 

 tomatoes, maize, and artichoke, are annuals. It has, however, been recently 

 found by him growing on two perennial plants, Laniium mactilatum and Ole- 

 clioma hedcracca, where it has persisted as a perennial. 



Report of committee on plant diseases for 1908, A. D. Selby (Ohio State 

 Hort. Soc. Ami. Rpt., //2 (1909), pp. 68-75). — A brief summary is given of the 

 observations on plant diseases in Ohio during 1908, particular attention being 

 paid to forcing-house troubles, diseases of truck crops, potato and tomato dis- 

 eases, and diseases of orchard fruits, small fruits, and grains. 



Some little-known plant diseases, A. Osterwalder (Centhl. Bakt. [etc.'], 2. 

 AM., 23 (1909), No. 5-9, pp. 260-270, pis. 2).— The author describes the bacterial 

 disease of Levisticum officinale due to Pseudomonas levisticin.sp.,Si disease of 

 Calceolaria rugosa due to Phytophthora omnivora, an attack of Sclerotinia 

 libcrtiana on Omplialodes vcrna, and a nematode disease of Chelone. 



The perfect stage of the cotton anthracnose, C. W. Edgerton (Mycologia, 

 1 (1909), No. 3, pp. 115-120, pi. 1, fig. 1). — In connection with a study of cotton 

 anthracnose at the Louisiana Stations the author made a search for the peri- 

 thecial stage of the fungus on the cotton plant. The occurrence of perithecia 

 in cultures had been previously reported (E. S. R., 18, p. 1141), but they had 

 never been found in connection with the living cotton plant. 



In August following a period of warm wet weather bolls were found contain- 

 ing the pycnidia, and a study showed the perithecia as a rule entirely embedded 

 in the host tissue with only the beaks extending through the epidermis. The 

 spores of this species are more elliptical and less curved than commonly found 



