DISEASES OF PLANTS. 581 



In addition to the cruciferous plants it was found that Amorphophalhis simlense, an 

 araceous plant, frequently cultivated by florists, was subject to destructive injury 

 when its petioles were inoculated with the organism. 



A preliminary note on a new organism producing rot in cauliflower and 

 allied plants, F. C. Hakrisox {Scienre, ,i. .sv;-., 16 [1902), No. S95, p. /5x^).— During 

 the summer of 1901 the author's attention was drawn to a disease of cauliflowers 

 occurring in the vicinity of Guelpli, Ontario. The plants, which were well grown, 

 showed symptoms of rotting, the interior of the stem and often the flowering or edi- 

 ble part being changed into a dark-colored, soft mass. An examination of the mate- 

 rial revealed the presence of enormous numbers of baciteria, and the casual organism 

 was isolated and its relation to the rot established by inoculation experiments. The 

 characteristics of the organism are briefly outlined, and in its action it is said to be 

 similar to that described by Potter as attacking some other cruciferous plants (E. S. R., 

 18, p. 467). The name proposed for the organism is BdcUlus olereace.v. 



Club root of cabbage, L. Mangin {Rer. Hort. [Paris'], 74 {1903), No. 18, pp. 

 4S2-4.1'), figs. 5). — A description is given of the club root of cabbage, turnips, cauli- 

 flower, and other cruciferous plants, which is due to attacks of Plusmodlophoni bras- 

 sica: The organism is described in its various stages and the results of attempts to 

 control the disease are given. The author recommends the rotation of crops 

 wherever possible and the treatment of the soil with lime or phosphatic slag when 

 rotation is not practicable. The debris of diseased plants should be collected and 

 burned. 



The banana disease, G. P. Foaden [Jour. Klted'ir. Agr. Soc. and Scliool Agr., 4 

 {1902), No. 3, pp. 117-119). — An account is given of a disease of banana which is 

 said to exist extensively in Fiji, and in connection with the recently described ba- 

 nana disease in Egypt it is of particular interest to that country. The outer leaves of 

 the affected plants soon after they are set Ijegiu to turn brown and die, followed in a 

 similar manner by the succeeding leaves. This continues for a considerable time, 

 and instead of the plants attaining a height of 6 to 12 ft. they are greatly stunted and 

 produce no fruit. An examination of these plants showed the presence of great 

 niiml)ers of aphids about the root stocks. In addition, the root stocks are infested 

 with a fungus, the exact nature of which is not known. The tissues are discolored 

 wherever the fungus is found. Great numbers of nematodes are found al)Out the 

 diseased plants, and the author believes that they have some i>art in the infection. 

 Rotation of crops, deep cultivation with occasional subsoiling, and care in the selec- 

 tion of suckers for planting are recommended as means for the prevention of this 

 disease. 



Bitter rot of apples, T. J. Burrill and J. C. Blair {Illinois Sta. Bid. 77, pp. 

 351-366, figs. 14). — In continuation of the statement previously given (E. S. R., 14, 

 p. 367), the authors present additional data relating to the distribution of the bitter 

 rot of apples. This disease is one of the most destructive to which the apple is sub- 

 ject, and it is said that in 4 counties in 1900 it occasioned a loss of a million and a 

 half dollars' worth of fruit. The appearance of the disease upon the fruit is described 

 and notes given on the way in which the fungus passes the winter. It has been 

 usually considered that it was carried over winter solely in old diseased apples which 

 dry up and remain for some time upon the trees. In certain investigations all the 

 mummy fruit was removed,' but the disease was still present. In July a cooperator 

 of the station, R. A. Simpson, of Vincennes, Ind., called attention to the distribu- 

 tion of the disease in cone-shaped areas in the trees, the earliest infection being trace- 

 able to an old rough wound on the branches. A few days later another individual 

 reported the same fact, and this led to a microscopic study of material which con- 

 firmed the connection between the cankered places on the limbs and the disease 

 upon the fruit. Later inoculation experiments with spores from cankers produced 

 typical bitter rot on the fruit in 4 days. It is therefore evident that the disease on 



