DISEASES OF PLANTS. 649 



inces of Cremona and Milan, uiucli of the wheat that was planted did not germi- 

 nate, although the seed ai)peared sound and viable. A careful niiscroscopical 

 examination of the seed sliowed many very small hyalin, septate threads of 

 some fungus in the various tissues of the wheat grains. Artificial cultures on 

 gelatin gave fruit bodies similar to those of Aspergillus fuinigatus. This 

 fungus is supposed to have infected the grain when the ovaries were young 

 and by subsequent growth to have sapped the vitality of the seeds until their 

 viabilitj' was seriously injured. 



The bacterial soft rots of certain vegetables, I {Neiv York State Sta. Tech. 

 Bui. 11, PI). 251-36H. pfix. 10). — A report is given of an investigation conducted 

 jointly by the Vermont and New York State stations on the soft rots of cab- 

 bage, cauliflower, and turni])s, and consists of two papers. 



The Mutual Relationships of the Caiisal Organisms, H. A. Harding and 

 W. J. Morse (pp. 2,51-287). — This report deals with the morphology and cul- 

 tural characters of 43 strains of organisms represented by cultures from Eng- 

 land, Germany, Holland, and various parts of the United States and Canada. 

 These were derived from turnips, iris, rape, calla lily, cauliflower, and cabbage, 

 all of which produce soft rots of their host plants. In all more than 12,000 

 cultures were studied. 



From the action of the organisms on the media, it appears that there are six 

 groups of one species, but a further study of the cultures will be necessary 

 before a definite classification can be made. 



Pectinase, the Cytolytic Enzyni produced hy Bacillus carotororus and 

 Certain other Soft-rot Organisms, L. R. Jones (pp. 289-36S, figs. 10).— A re- 

 port is given of studios on the enzym produced by B. carotororus, which was 

 isolated by various methods, such as heating, filtration, the use of germicides, 

 alcohol precipitation, etc. In these investigations a detailed study was made 

 of the enyzm as produced by the carrot-rot organism, including a comparison 

 of its action when obtained in different ways apart from the living bacillus. 

 after which a comparison was undertaken of the characteristics of the enzyms 

 secured from soft-rot organisms of several other vegetables, and finally with 

 the wall-dissolving enzyms produced by other bacteria, by fungi, and by 

 germinating seeds. 



A bibliograi)hy of the subject concludes the report. 



The leaf roll disease of the potato and its outbreak in Austria, K. KoR- 

 NAUTH and O. Reitmair (Monatsh. Landw., 2 {1909), p. 78; abs. in Centbl. 

 BaJ:t. [etc.'l, 2. Abt., 2', {1909), No. 23-25, pp. 573, 57//).— The first serious out- 

 break of this disease in Austria appeared in 1908. A study was made and the 

 following facts ascertained : The disease can be introduced into uninfected 

 regions by the use of diseased seed potatoes, also by means of infected soil. 

 Its recognition in the early stages is difficult, as there is no known criterion in 

 all cases. Weather and soil conditions, so far as causing an outbreak, are 

 without influence though they may affect its progress. No variety of potato 

 has been found immune. The disease has spread over Germany, is now found 

 in Austria and Hungary, and has done much damage to the potato industry of 

 those countries. 



Potato wart disease: The life history and cytology of Synchytrium endo- 

 bioticum, J. Percival {Centbl. Bukt. [etc.], 2. Abt., 25 {1909), No. l't-18, pp. 

 440-JfJ,7, pis. 3). — Experiments on the growth and development of the parasite 

 were carried on throughout the growing season. These experiments included 

 germination of the resting sporangia, sori of sporangia, infection and effect on 

 the host, and the cytology and development of the thick-walled sporangia. 



According to the author the fungus, previously known as Chrysophlyetis endo- 

 biotica, should receive the name iS, endobioticum. 



