1150 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



half grown the leaves aud fruit above the spots suddenly wilt and dry up. The 

 effect on the plant seems to be that of girdling. 



A study was made of the fungus, but the inoculation experiments carried on 

 were in the main unsuccessful, although 2 plants were infected with the dis- 

 ease. From this it is believed that the fungus is a weak facultative parnsite, 

 which grows readily as a saprophyte on dead canes, but which, if the conditions 

 are suitable, will adapt itself to the living plants. It is not thought probable 

 that this fungus will become a serious pest. 



Injurious fungus diseases of the year 1907, S. B. McCready {Ann. Ri)t. 

 Ontario Agr. Col. and Expt. Farm, 33 (1907), pp. Jf8, J/O, fig. 1). — Xotes are 

 given on the crown gall, pear leaf scald, Alternaria blight of ginseng, and a 

 blighting of oats which is attributed to unfavorable weather conditions, the 

 root system having been impaired by a continued cold spell following an early 

 warm season. For the different diseases remedies are suggested, so far as 

 any are known. 



Notes on plant diseases occurring' in North Carolina, F. L. Stevens and 

 J. G. Hall (Xorth CaroUtia .s7'/. Rjit. IHOI, pp. .'>H-7J, figs. 7). — Notes are given 

 on the occurrence and characteristics of a number of diseases which have 

 been observed on plants of economic importance in North Carolina, together 

 with suggestions for tlieir control where definite means are known. 



Treatment of grain for smut, ('. A. Zavitz {Ann. Rpt. Ontarui Agr. Col. and 

 Expt. Farm, 33 {1907), pp. 179-181). — For a period of 5 years experiments 

 have been carried on in which seed oats and wheat have been treated with 

 formalin, copper sulphate, potassium sulphid, and hot water for the prevention 

 of smut. 



No smut has been observed in the crop for .5 years where the seed was im- 

 mersed in or sprinkled with dilute formalin or immersed in hot water, and 

 practically none where the seed was soaked in a copper sulphate solution for 

 12 hours. The other treatments were somewhat less efficient. The average 

 percentage of smutted heads in the untreated oats for the 5 years was 5.7 per 

 cent and for winter wheat 3.5 per cent. 



In connection with these studies investigations were conducted on the sus- 

 ceptibility of different varieties of oats to attacks of smut. The results of 4 

 years' experiments have shown that the variety Early Ripe was almost entirely 

 free from smut, followed by Joanette, Siberian, American Banner, Black Tar- 

 tarian, and Early Champion, in the order named, the last variety proving quite 

 susceptible to the disease. 



On account of the great resistance of the variety Early Kipe, the author has 

 made a number of hybrids between this variety and the variety American Ban- 

 ner, in order to obtain the resistance of the first variety combined with the 

 yielding and other valuable qualities of the second. 



Notes on immune wheat, A. and (Jabrielle L. C. Howard {Jour. Agr. 8ci., 2 

 {1907), Xo. 3, pp. 278-280). — A brief note is given on experiments made in India 

 to obtain wheats immune or resistant to rusts. 



Following up the suggestion of Biffen (E. S. R., 19, p. 44) that einkorn would 

 probably be available for crossing, samples of this wheat were obtained and 

 grown in different parts of India. In no case did einkorn produce any seed, 

 the plants remaining in a vegetative condition throughout the season. 



In general the imunniity to rust i)reviously re])orted upon was observetl in 

 the Punjab region. At Pusa light green translucent spots were noticed on some 

 of the leaves, and later these developed the black rust of wheat {Pucciniu 

 graminis). Contrary to the ojiinion expressed by Butler (E. S. R., IS, p. S42), 

 the autliors state that where a suitable host plant is present, this species of 

 rust can pass from one crop to another in the uredo stage. 



