DISEASES OF PLANTS. 1151 



Although einkorn ditl not prove of service in the authors' experiments, emmer 

 proved to be immune to rusts, and it is believed that this can be used in breed- 

 ing resistant wheats in certain parts of India. 



Warty disease of potato, A. W. Bortiiwick {Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinb., 

 1907, Xo. 18. pp. Jlo-llO. pi. 1). — A description is given of a disease of potatoes, 

 due to the fungus Chri/sophlifctis cndohiotica. 



An examination of tubers affected by this fungus showed at times only a few 

 localized warty excrescences, while at other times the whole potato was con- 

 verted into a coral-like mass. The author claims to have found evidence which 

 indicates that the parasite is able to obtain lodgment on other parts of the 

 plant than the tubers, and possibly it can spread from infected leaves, stems, etc. 



The spraying of Irish potatoes, F. L. Stevens (North Carolina Sta. Rpt. 

 1907. pp. ^7. JS). — A brief account is given of spraying experiments to deter- 

 mine the relative value of ordinary Bordeaux and soda Bordeaux mixtures, and 

 to learn whether spraying potatoes for fungus diseases will pay in the eastern 

 section of North Carolina as it does elsewhere in the United States. 



Five applications were made to the potatoes, and while the season throughout 

 was unfavorable, the sprayed plants were much better in appearance, and a net 

 increase, valued at $21.0,5 per acre, was obtained where ordinary Bordeaux 

 mixture was used, costing .$"> per acre. Soda Bordeaux was much less efficient 

 than Bordeaux mixture made with lime. 



Curly top, a disease of the sugar beet, C. O. Townsend ( U. »S'. Dept. Agr., Bur. 

 Plant //((/MS-. Bui. 122, pp. 37, pis. 11). — This bulletin gives the results of investi- 

 gations carried on during the past 6 years and deals with what is probably one 

 of the most destructive diseases of the sugar beet. While the results in the 

 main are negative, yet enough has been learned to offer some suggestions re- 

 garding the conununication of the disease. 



The external characters or symptoms of the curly top are to be found in all 

 parts of the diseased plant. The leaves that develop after the beets become 

 affected with the disease are much smaller and more numerous than the normal 

 leaves, and the petioles are very short. The leaf blades are shorter and nar- 

 rower than normal and decidedly crinkled. On the underside of the leaf 

 blade are many elevations, giving the surface a rough appearance. The roots 

 of the beet affected with curly top are usually hairy, but this character is some- 

 what variable. The tissues of the leaves and leaf stems show a great dis- 

 tortion of the cells, and diseased roots show darkened fibro vascular bundles. 

 The roots are more or less fibrous or woody, but there is little decay or softening 

 of the tissue in any part of the plant. 



In addition to the above constant symptoms, the beets are sometimes stunted, 

 or appear wilted as though suffering from lack <^»f moisture, or there may be 

 jtresent a dark spot in the interior of the crown, in which a cavity frequently 

 develops. 



Curly top is not confined to any variety of beets, and young plants seem most 

 easily attacked. When the outbreak is very serious, frequently more than 50 

 per cent of the plants are stunted in their growth, probably not attaining more 

 than one-quarter their normal size. 



The different reputed causes of curly top have been investigated with negative 

 results, and the author thinks it is not identical with any disease of the beet 

 previously described, except possibly that reported from Indiana (E. S. R., 11, 

 p. THG). Thus far the di.sease seems to be confined to the middle and westei-n 

 parts of the United States, and occurs In beets under a great variety of soil 

 and climatic conditions. No parasite has been isolateti from the diseased plants 

 thus far, and it does not seem to be communicated directly from one plant to 

 another. So far as known, the disease has not appean^l to any serious extent 



