DISEASES OF PLANTS. 853 



ing to produce a small number of pycnidia it ceased to grow. Spores also 

 germinated, but these too made only a small growth, producing no pycnidia. 

 The apparent loss of vitality, it is suggested, might have been due to Peni-' 

 cillium, a growth of which covered the surface of the specimen. 



The possibility of a medicinal remedy for chestnut blig'ht, Caroline Rxjm- 

 BOLD (In reansylvania Chestnut Blight Conference. Harrisburg: State, 1912, 

 pp. 57, 58). — The author reports in regard to medicinal treatment of chestnut 

 blight that experiments are under way, but are as yet incomplete, considering 

 the influences of soil and atmospheric moisture, of fertilizers, of healthful or 

 unhealthful surroundings and conditions of the tree, of wounds, etc., on the 

 susceptibility of the tree to disease, and on its reaction to treatment. She 

 states also ttat experiments to test the relative vitality of the mycelium and 

 of the two kinds of spores and others with chemicals toxic to the fungus are 

 in progress, as well as studies on the question of immunity of different kinda 

 of trees. 



The biological relations of Bhytisma acerinum to various maples, K. 

 MtJLLER (Ber. Deut. Bat. GescIL, 30 ill) 12), No. 7, pp. 3S5-391).— The author 

 investigated R. acerinum for the purpose of determining whether or not this 

 fungus is to be classed as a single species. Inoculation experiments were car- 

 ried on with several species of maple in the open air during 1908-1911 with the 

 following results: 



Spores from Acer platanoides, which is widely distributed, easily infected 

 this maple and A. campestre, but, in general, only partially and weakly A. 

 pseudoplatanus and A. dasycarpum. 



Morphologically simihir fungi from A. pseudoplatanus from several localities 

 severely infected the same maple in the locality of the experiment, while the 

 other species of maple were not attacked at all. This biologically distinct 

 species of fungus was named R. pseudoplatani. R. punctatum, which is 

 claimed to be limited to A. pseudoplatanus, is morphologically distinguished 

 from R. pseudoplatani by its larger sclerotia and spores. 



Spores from the fungus on A. campestre attacked this maple severely, less so 

 A. platanoides, and not at all A. pseudoplatanus. The fungus is considered to 

 be a specialized form of R. acerimim, less distinct than is R. pseudoplatani, 

 and to it the name R. acerinum canipestris is given. Further reports are prom- 

 ised on the morphological relations of R. acerinum. 



Oak disease in 1909 and 1910, E. Paque (Bui. Soc. Roy. Bat. Belg., 48 

 (1911.), No. 1, pp. 22-26). — ^A brief account is given of the oak disease due to 

 Oi'dium in Prance. During 1909 and 1910 its intensity is said to have dimin- 

 ished somewhat in that section. Lists are given of the species of trees attacked 

 and those exempt. Attention is drawn to the fact that, while almost every 

 native oak was attacked, nearly all foreign species in the same forests appeared 

 resistant to this fungus. 



The oak Oidium in France, G. Trinchieri and L. Mangin (Jour. Agr. Prat., 

 n. sen, 23 (1912), Nos. 16, pp. 496, 497; 23, pp. 7i9-72/).— This is a continuation 

 of contributions made by these authors and by G. Arnaud and E. Foex on oak 

 OTdium (E. S. R., 20, p. 757; 23, p. 354; 25, p. 248; 27, p. 753), the later discus- 

 sions being somewhat controversial. 



Oak Oidium in Sologne, E. Noffray (Bui. Soc. Nat. Agr. France, 72 (1912), 

 No. 7, pp. 575-5S'f). — An account is given of the appearance of oak Oidium in 

 Sologne in 1907 and of its progress, habits, and damage in that district. 



It is stated that but slight infection by this fungus is noted in growths of 4 

 years and over, but that it severely attacks the younger trees and branches. 

 From this fact it is concluded that this fungus may be checked, possibly exter- 

 minated, in a few years by sacrificing these younger growths for a while, if 



