350 EXPERIMENT STATION EECOED. 



walls of the host, and the other a proteolytic enzyni. The hyphal walls of the 

 fungus were found to be composal almost entirely of chitin. Inoculation ex- 

 periments with pure cultures of the fungus and of the 2 associated bacteria 

 gave positive results as to the parasitic nature of the fungus, but negative 

 results with the 2 bacteria. 



The author therefore claims that U. musccpcrda Is the cause of the Panama 

 disease of bananas as it occurs in Surinam. 



The Surinam disease; a condition of elephantiasis of the banana caused 

 by Ustilaginoidella cedipigera, E. Essed {Ann. Bot. {London'\, 25 {1911), No. 

 98, iJp. 363-365, pi. 1). — It is claimed that "big foot" disease of the banana, or 

 elephantiasis, is caused by a fungus for which the name U. oedipigera is pro- 

 posed. 



This organism is said to be closely related to the Panama disease fungus, 

 V. muswperda, but differs slightly in some of its reproductive bodies. The 

 fungus first attacks the parenchyma and prosenchymatous cells of the periph- 

 eral upper region of the rhizome, and the initial infection probably occurs just 

 below the base of the outermost leaves. 



The disease is not a serious one, does not spread rapidly, and is easily kept 

 in check by the use of copper-sulphate solutions. 



Diseases of the fig tree and fruit, C. W. Edgeeton {Louisiana Stas- Bui. 

 126, pp. 20, pis. 8). — The author gives the life history, symptoms, distribution, 

 damage done by them, and methods of control of the following diseases of the 

 fig tree in Louisiana: Fig anthracnose {Glomerella fructigena), fig canker 

 {Tuljercularia flci), limb blight {Corticium Iwtum), soft rot of the fig {Rhi- 

 zopus nigricans), fig rust {Uredo fici), leaf spot {Ccrcospora sp.), die-back of 

 the twigs, and nematode root galls. 



It is claimed that the fungus causing fig anthracnose is the same organism 

 {O. fructigena) that causes bitter rot of apples. It has been known on the fig 

 for at least 5 years in Louisiana, and is characterized by definite localized 

 sunken lesions, or by a general rot of the whole fruit very similar to the 

 lesions on apples due to bitter rot. Cross inoculations were made with this 

 fungus and other anthracnoses from Melilotus indica, cotton, silver maple, 

 apple, iiepper, Popuhis deltoides, clover, and beans. Perfectly typical lesions 

 of the bitter rot appeared on the apple, fig, pepper, and maple, while no 

 infection was produced on cotton, clover, Melilotus, and beans. Other experi- 

 ments were also tried, using both apples and figs and the apple and fig anthrac- 

 noses, and in all cases the results with the 2 forms were identical. 



Tests made during the year as to the varietal resistance of different types 

 of figs against anthracnose showed that the varieties could be gi'ouped under 

 3 heads, viz, (1) those quite severely affected, such as Madeleine and New 

 French, (2) those less severely affected, such as Drop d'Or, Honche de Bray, 

 and Osborne Prolific, and (3) those affected very little or not at all, such 

 as Mission. Brunswick, Reine Blanche, White Ischia, De Constantine, and 

 Celeste. The use of resistant varieties is recommended as tiie most practical 

 means of controlling this disease, but if susceptible varieties are already planted, 

 the removal of all fig mummies in the fall and the careful pruning of all 

 dead limbs and twigs is suggested as the best means of holding the disease in 

 check. 



Fig canker and limb blight have been previously noted from another source 

 (E. S. R., 24, p. 747). The soft rot of the fig may occur to some extent in any 

 season, but is especially severe during wet periods, when often as much as 

 f of the figs on a tree will be destroyed by this disease. It is disseminated by 

 wind-blown spores, by insects, especially the Argentine ant, by juice from a 

 diseased fig dropping to other portions of the tree, and by rains washing the 



