DISEASES OF PLANTS. 655 



Cassava, tannia, yam, Indian corn, pigeon pea, plantain, banana, cacao seed- 

 lings, and bush plants are also attacked by this fungus. The systematic posi- 

 tion of the fungus is not known. 



The author advises the complete uprooting and burning of all diseased plants, 

 followed by a thorough stirring of the soil and a 3-year planting with cotton 

 before arrowroot is again planted in the soil. 



Soft rot of ginger in the Rangpur District, eastern Bengal, W. McRae 

 (Agr. Jour. India, 6 {1911), No. 2, pp. 139-lJf6, pis. 2).— The symptoms of this 

 disease, the damage done by it, and its causative organism are given, together 

 with means for its control. 



The disease produces a soft rot of the rhizomes, which is disseminated by 

 planting diseased seed rhizomes, and is caused by the fungus Pythium gracUe. 

 The remedies suggested are the uprooting and burning of all diseased plants, 

 including the roots and rhizomes, a 3-year rest for ginger land before replant- 

 ing to this crop, the use of healthy seed, good drainage, and soil aeration. 



The timber rot caused by Lenzites sepiaria, P. Spatjlding ( U. S. Dept. Agr., 

 Bur. Plant Indus. Bui. 21.^, pp. JfG, pis. Jf, figs. 3). — This paper summarizes and 

 brings up to date our knowledge concerning this serious wood-rotting fun- 

 gus, contains new information concerning its life history derived from ex- 

 periments in the laboratory and field, and gives methods for combating its 

 ravages. The author discusses the economic importance of L. sepiaria, its dis- 

 tribution and hosts, and gives the characteristics of the fungus, its develop- 

 ment, germination of spores, cultures, and inoculation experiments, describes 

 the characteristics of the decayed wood, cites experiments which prove that L. 

 sepiaria causes the decay attributed to it, and gives the factors governing the 

 growth of wood-rotting fungi and the various methods used for preventing the 

 decay caused by them. The paper closes with a brief summary of the extent 

 of the damage done by this organism and its distribution. It is claimed that 

 the Lenzites rot may be prevented or greatly retarded (1) by seasoning, (2) 

 by floating, and (3) by chemical treatment of the timber with infiltrates which 

 would be deleterious to fungus growth. 



An extensive bibliography is appended. 



Investigations on the employment of carbolineum compounds as fungi- 

 cides, and their effects on plants. E. Molz {Centbl. Bakt. [etc.], 2. Aht., 30 

 {1911), No. 7-12, pp. 201t-232, pis. 6, fig. i).— The results are reported of experi- 

 ments on the use of carbolineum and various tar oils. 



Very good results were^ obtained when the cankers of Nectria ditissiina on 

 the trunks of apple trees were treated with carbolineum, but a 1 per cent water 

 solution of carbolineum protected the grape for only a short period against at- 

 tacks of Plas)nopara viticola. In plate culture tests with water-soluble car- 

 bolineums it was found that Sclerotinia fructigeiia, Botrytis cinerea, and 

 PenicilUum glaucum were all checked in their development, especially S. fructi- 

 gena, and this effect was more pronounced than that produced by copper sul- 

 phate solutions. 



The fungicidal and bactericidal power of the light tar oils was found to be 

 very small. The bactericidal action of tar oils seems to depend mainly on its 

 phenol content, and those of a specific gravity of 1.023 were most effective as 

 fungicides and bactericides. Plant tissues were much injured by the action of 

 phenols. The vapor of tar oils, especially of the lighter ones, was found to act 

 injuriously on plants, and a 1 per cent water solution of tar oil in most in- 

 stances injured the foliage of trees. The use of carbolineum paints on the 

 trunks of trees showed no injurious effects. The spring treatment of wounds 

 with carbolineum preparations was found to be injurious, often causing an en- 

 largement of the wounded area and a slow healing of the wound. 



