478 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



The West Indian anthracnose of cotton, L. Lewton-Brain ( West Indian Bui., 

 5 ( 1904 I, No. 2, pp. 178-194, figs. 7 ). — The presence of an anthracnose of cotton lias 

 been long known in the West Indies and has been frequently identified as identical 

 with the cotton anthracnose of the United States. Recent investigations of the 

 author have shown the occurrence of this disease over quite a considerable portion 

 of the British West indies, but it so far does not seem to have occasioned any very 

 jrreat destruction of the cotton bolls. The symptoms of the disease are described, as 

 well as the results of cultures and artificial inoculations with the fungus. 



Studies of the organism have led the author to conclude that while not specifically 

 distinct, the form occurring in the West Indies differs so constantly in some of its 

 spore characters as to warrant its description as a distinct variety, the name Collet o- 

 trichum gossypii barbadense, n. var., being given it. Suggestions are given for combat- 

 ing the fungus, which include the burning of all refuse about cotton fields, treatment 

 of seed with a week solution of corrosive sublimate, selection of seed from healthy 

 plants, etc. 



Streptothrix as a cause of musty oats, 1>. Bkocq-Rousseu {Rev. Gin. Bot., 16 

 i 1904), No. 186, pp. 219-230, pi. /). — The author reports having frequently noticed 

 oats which exhaled a marked musty odor, sometimes to such an extent that animals 

 would refuse to eat the grain, and serious loss was occasioned. 



A study was made of a number of varieties and from the molded specimens a num- 

 ber of fungi and bacteria were isolated, but the only organism occurring uniformly 

 throughout all the samples was a species of Streptothrix. The characters of this 

 fungus as shown in various cultural media are described, and studies with cultures on 

 sound oats showed the possibility of its causing the moldy odor. Comparisons are 

 made between this and the other known species of Streptothrix, and while it 

 approaches most nearly S. fcersteri, still it can not be definitely identified with that 

 species. 



As a practical result of examination, the author found it was possible to prevent 

 its infesting sound oats if the grain could be kept in a dry condition and not mixed 

 with any that was musty, and that musty oats would lose this odor if heated for half 

 an hour at a temperature of 80° C. 



The study of potato rot, G. Delacroix (Ann. Inst. Nat. Agron., 2. ser., 3 (1904), 

 No. /, pp. 37-74, figs. ■')■ — An account is given of an unusual outbreak of potato rot 

 near Paris during the autumn of 1903. The atmospheric conditions were especially 

 favorable for the development of the fungus and the losses caused by it were very 

 great. An extended discussion of the methods of infection is given, as well as notes 

 on the life history of the organism. Other diseases due to fungi and bacteria were 

 observed, but to the Phytophthora is attributed all the serious injury. 



In studying the disease marked differences in infection were noticed for different 

 varieties, and differences of soil, fertilizer, moisture, etc., were found to influence 

 the amount of disease in any particular variety. An excess of nitrogen was found to 

 favor the activity of the fungus, while potatoes grown with potash and phosphoric 

 acid fertilizers were less affected. Depth of planting is said to exert an influence on 

 the spread of the disease, the conidia of the fungus seeming to be unable to penetrate 

 the soil to a depth of more than 10 cm. The use of fungicides during the growing 

 season is recommended, and care in the selection and wintering of seed tubers is 

 advised. 



The leaf brown of the potato, J. J. Vaxha (Naturw. Ztschr. Land- n. Forstw., 2 

 (1904), No. 3, pp. 113-127, pis. 6; abs. in J'»,t. Centbl, 96 (1904), No. 29, />. 67).— A 

 description is given of a disease of potatoes which is reported as having been common 

 in Bohemia, northern Germany, Scandinavia, and elsewhere. In many particulars 

 it resembles the potato rot caused by Phytophthora, but careful examination showed 

 it to vary in a number of particulars, and the cause of the leaf spot to be Sporidesmium 

 solani varians, n. var. 



