154 EXPERIMENT STATION EECOED. 



The American gooseberry mildew (Jour. Bd. A[ir. [London^, IJf (1907), 

 No. 2, PI). lO.'i-lOG, pi. 1, fills. 2). — An illustrative description is given of tlie 

 American gooseberry mildew (Sphcrrotheca Mdrs-urfc). wbicli appears to be quite 

 destructive to gooseberries and seems to be spreading in different parts of Europe. 

 An account is given of this disease so that growers may be able to recognize it 

 upon their bushes and aid in repressing its distribution. 



Notes on some diseases of the pineapple, N. A. Cobb (Haicaii. Forester and 

 Agr., Jf (1907), No. 5, pp. 123-1 j^J/, figs. 9). — The author gives an account of some 

 of the moi'e troublesome diseases of the pineapple in Hawaii and calls attention 

 to the occurrence of Thiclaviopsis ethaceticiis on the pineapple. 



This fungus, which has been previously described by the author (E. S. R., 

 IS, p. 843), causes the well-known pineapple disease of sugar cane as well as 

 the most common rot of pineapi)les in Hawaii. It is cliaracterized on the 

 fi'uit by a blackening which usually begins at the cut end of the stem and spreads 

 upward through the core, ultimately involving the entire fruit. This discolora- 

 tion, which is dark at first, becomes sooty black when fully developed. The 

 fungus is described at considerable length, and its dissemination on the pine- 

 apple seems to be associated with various insects, principally flies. The author 

 suggests that where tops are used for planting, diseased specimens should be 

 eliminated as far as i)ossible. Additional precautious of dipping in fungicides 

 will probably be found advantageous. Experiments with the treatment of 

 sugar cane for the prevention of this disease have proved very efficient, and the 

 use of Bordeaux mixture or tar upon the pineapple cuttings is recommended as 

 a preventive treatment. 



Diseases of coffee, G. Delacroix {Agr. Prat. Pays Chmids, 7 (1907), Nos. 

 50, pp. 38't-399; 52, pp. 26-j^1 ; 53, pp. 152-165, pis. 3).— A description is given 

 of some of the better known diseases of coffee, the author grouping them 

 according to whether they are due to nonparasitic or parasitic causes. Among 

 the leaf diseases of coffee the principal one described is that caused by Hcmilcia 

 vastutrix. 



Root diseases of tea, T. Fetch (Trap. Agr. and Mag. Ceylon Agr. Soc, 

 2S (,1907), No. .'), pp. 292-296, pi. 1). — The author describes some root diseases 

 of the tea plant which have previously been referred to a fungus, Rosellinia 

 radiciperda, but which are now believed to be due to different fungi. One form 

 of the disease which is said to occur on tea plants growing at an elevation of 

 4,000 ft. or more is caused by the fungus Porias liypohiteritia. This fungus 

 also attacks the roots of Hevea rubber and seems to spread to the tea roots 

 from stumps of various forest trees. In the lower districts a root disease of 

 tea ai)pears in which the roots show black nodules from which arise an under- 

 ground mycelium which spreads between the wood and the bark in white or yel- 

 lowish fan-shaped patches. The fungus appears to be an undescribed species of 

 Ustilina, a brief description of which is given. For preventing these diseases 

 the author recommends the digging out and burning of dead bushes and the 

 l)nrying or burning of all tea prunings. 



The downy mildew of grapes and its control, J. Capus (Rer. Yit., 27 

 (1907); Nos. To.'J, pi). 677-6S0 ; 706. pp. 70o-70S). — The author has made a study 

 of the downy mildew of grapes and its control, the investigations covering a 

 lieriod of 5 years. 



The appearance of the mildew on the vines was found to be closely associated 

 with periods of high temperature, and the period of incubation of the various 

 invasions varied from 7 to 28 days, depending upon the prevailing temperature 

 conditions. As a rule the mildew was found to be most severe in its attacks on 

 the older leaves, the young leaves being nearly free from the invasion of the 



