DISEA&ES OF PLANTS. 499 



sown tliinly, -vrith due regard to the liabit of tillering and local condi- 

 tions of climate and soils. East-resistant and rust-escaping- varieties 

 should be grown more extensively. When sowings are unavoidably 

 late, early ripening varieties should be sown and phosphatic fertilizers 

 used to hasten the maturity of the plant. The sowing of varieties espe- 

 cially liable to rust should be abandoned, and where new- varieties are 

 introduced the farmer is advised to sow them only on a small scale to 

 test their adaptability rather than risk the whole harvest. 

 The conference gave the following general conclusions: 



"It is of opinion that there is uo i)o.s8ible treatment of tlie seed tliat will protect 

 the plants growing from it from the attacks of rnst. Fnrthermore, that the notion 

 that rust-shriveled seed can ho sown with as good results as plump seed is erroneous. 

 Of the many yiractical details which have been demonstrated experimentally as cal- 

 culated to diminish the prevalence of rnst the conference emphatically recommends 

 the follo\Ying : 



"That seed wheat be allowed to ripen fully, and be carefully stripped or threshed. 



''That seed wheat be graded, and the larger and heavier grains selected for seed. 



•'That the utmost care should be adopted to insure that the A'arieties of wheat 

 selected for seed be pure and true to name." 



A leaf blight of the tomato, F. 1). Chester {Delaware Bta. Rpt. 

 l&9o, p. 133 J Jigs. ;J). — The author figures and brieiiy describes a leaf 

 blight of tomato which was first observed during the summer of 1894. 

 The fungus spores are said to be the same size as those described by 

 Saccardo from Argentina uuder Septoria lycopersici. Its identity is not 

 affirmed. 



Blight affecting the body of pear and apple trees, M. II. Beck- 

 wiTH {Delate a re Sta. Ept. 1895, pp. 158, 159). — Brief notes are given of 

 a blight of apple and pear trees, the diseased trunks of which gave 

 every appearance of being attacked by the common j^ear blight {Micro- 

 coccus amylovorns). Thorough washing of the diseased portions of the 

 trees with Bordeaux mixture seemed beneficial in arresting the progress 

 of the disease. 



Investigations on the sulphuring of hops, J. I^eherxs ( Wocheimchr. Brauvrei, 

 1S90, pp. 946-D4S). 



The diseases of sugar cane, .1. Kay (Bnl. Soc. Mycol. France, 13 {1896), Xo. 4, pp. 

 139-143). — A resume is given of some of the more important publications relating to 

 sugar cane diseases. 



Notes on sugar cane diseases, F. A. F. C. Went {Ann. Hot., 10 {1896), pp. 583-600, 

 pi. 1). — Notes are given of the red smut {CoUetolrichum falcatum) and the pineapple 

 disease {Thielaviops'ts ethaceticus). Both fungi are saprophytic but are apparently 

 wound parasites producing the two diseases. The author dissents from the opinion 

 of Massec! relating to Trichoaphari xaccluiri and Melanconium sp. The latter is said 

 never to be found on other than dead canes. 



Smut in wlieat, W. M. Hays {Minnesota Sla. Bpt. 1895, pp. J6'.'-,W5).— Reprinted 

 from Bulletin 40 of the station (E. S. E., 8, p. 237). 



Strawberry rust {Garden and Forest, 9 {1896), No. 462, p. 530). — A brief note is 

 given of the successful use of borax lye as a spray for preventing strawberry rust. 

 One can of the lye was used in 40 gal. of water. The sprayed plants kept bearing 

 for 10 days after the uus]irayed ones hail ceased. 



