446 EXPERIMENT STATION EECOED. 



of hosts. Pedigreed cultures of a given strain were found to show as wide 

 morphological variation as several strains fi-om different hosts. The results 

 are held to indicate that on several hosts under consideration there is one large 

 species showing many biological races. 



Life history of Sphaeropsis malorum, C. L. Sheae (Abs. in Phytopathology, 

 Jf (1914), No. 1, pp. 48, 49).— In a previous publication (B. S. R., 23, p. 454) the 

 author presented evidence from which it was concluded that the perithecial 

 stage of the apple Sphteropsis is a form of Melanops, which was found on dead 

 apple branches. Subsequent investigations have confirmed the previous con- 

 clusion, and by means of cultures from single ascospores of M. quercuum ob- 

 tained from an old apple tree, .Sf. malorum has been obtained. 



Grain smuts: Their causes and treatments, M. T. Cook {ISlew Jersey Stas. 

 Circ. 36, pp. 4)' — Brief descriptions are given of the loose smut of oats, loose 

 smut of wheat, stinking smut or bunt of wheat, and smut of corn, with direc- 

 tions for their control so far as means are known. 



Experiments on the control of certain barley diseases, A. G. Johnson (A 6s. 

 in Phythopnthology, 4 {1914), No. 1, p. .^6). — In connection with investigations 

 on the Helminthosporium disease of barley, seed was infested with the covered 

 and loose smuts, as well as by the stripe disease (H. gramineum) . Seed was 

 treated by the hot water method and also by variations of the formaldehyde 

 treatment. 



The control plats averaged from 8 to 10 per cent of covered and loose smut 

 and 20 per cent stripe disea.se. Where the seed had received the modified hot 

 water treatment, that is soaked for five hours in cold water and 15 minutes at 

 52° C, the two smuts were perfectly controlled and the stripe disease reduced 

 to less than 1 per cent. Where seed was soaked for two hours in 1 lb. formalin 

 to 40 gal. water, the covered smut was perfectly conti'olled and loose smut 

 reduced to a bare trace. This treatment was also highly efficient against the 

 stripe disease. The formaldehyde gas treatment proved less efficient than the 

 water solution, and inhibited germination considerably. 



Similar tests were conducted with two lots of seed infested resi)ectively 

 with //. teres and II. sativum, and in both cases the primary infections were 

 reduced but not entirely eliminated. 



Some observations and experiments on the blackleg disease of cabbage, 

 M. P. Henderson {Ahs. in Phi/toixitliolftgy. 4 {1914), No. 1, pp. 4G, 4'^)- — A report 

 is given of studies to determine the host range of the fungus on the Cruciferse 

 and whether it may not be disseminated with the seed of cabbage. Inocula- 

 tions were made on 7 genera, including 15 species and 4 varieties of Cruciferse, 

 and infections occurred in all but 2 species. Lepidium virginieum and Capsella 

 bursa-pastoris. In other series of experiments mother seed plants were inocu- 

 lated by spraying the plants with a spore suspension, after which they were 

 covered with a bell-jar. Infections occurred on leaves, flower stalks, and seed 

 pods. Seeds removed and plated gave pure cultures of the fungus. 



The observations and experiments outlined indicate a wide host range for the 

 blackleg organism, thus insux'ing easy and rapid distribution in the field, and 

 that infected seed may also serve as a means of dissemination. 



Progress in developing disease-resistant cabbage, L. R. Jones {Abs. in 

 Phytopathology, 4 {1914), ^c. 1, pp. 4^, 4S). — lu continuation of a report pre- 

 viously given (E. S. R., 29, p. 646). the author gives an account of experiments 

 in developing cabbage resistant to Fusarium. 



Many of the selected strains of .seed tested in 1912 proved equally resistant in 

 1913, although the weather conditions were considered somewhat more favor- 

 able for the fungus in the latter year. The resistant varieties secured in 1912 

 were all of the Danish ball head or winter tyi'es. In 1913 one of the kraut 



