DISEASES OF PLANTS. 829 



A microscopical examination of 4 lots of wheat bran was made to 

 ascertain the presence of cockle seed ineal. In none of the samples 

 was there any important admixture. The presence of (cockle may be 

 readil}' recognized when at all abundant by the characteristic saponin 

 bodies. 



The author made a study of some of the mold fungi to test the com- 

 mon belief that cerebro-spinal meningitis is due in some way to these 

 fungi. Jars of bread paste were exposed in a stable where several 

 horses had died with the above disease. The species of molds collected 

 were: Aspergillus nigricans, A.fumigatiis, Rhizopiis mgrimns, nud Feni- 

 cillium glaucum. The only fungus of interest was the Aspergillus fumi- 

 gatus, and from this cultures were made on oats. Is'othing positive is 

 shown as to the ability of these molds to produce the disease in question. 

 However, a rabbit inoculated with 0.5 cc. water containing spores of 

 A.fumigatus died in 5 days. Cultures made from the viscera of the 

 rabbit did uot develop any of the mold in either agar tubes, Petrie 

 l)lates, or bread-paste jars. 



The southern tomato blight {Mississipjn Sta. RjH. 1893, pp. 53-61, 

 fig, I), — A report is given of 3 years' experiments, conducted by F. S. 

 Earle at the Ocean Springs substation, for the prevention of the tomato 

 blight, reported in Bulletin 19 of the station (E. S. li., 3, p. 702). The 

 experiments consisted in soil treatmenj;s in the iield and bed and spray- 

 ing the plants with well-known fungicides. Ba>ed ou 1 year's exi)eri- 

 euce, the author thinks that whether the blights of tomatoes, potatoes, 

 and watermelons are identical or not they are not easily communicated 

 from one crop to another under the ordinary field conditions. 



The author iiresents the following tentativ^e conclusions: 



"(1) Id preparing compost for the seed bed and cold frame, use a liberal amount 

 of lime, kainit, ashes, or other potash salt. This will give good, stiff-stemmed, stocky- 

 plants, which are better able to resist blight. 



"(2) A few days before sowing the seed sprinkle the bed thoroughly with strong 

 Bordeaux mixture and rake it in. 



"(3) After the j)lauts are set in the field add Paris green to the Bordeaux mixture 

 and continue to spray at intervals of 10 days or 2 weeks until the fruit is half grown. 

 Care must be exercised in spraying after the fruit is set, as it is more easily injured 

 than is the foliage. 



" (4) Never plant tomatoes on land where they grew the previous year, and at least 

 2 years' rest is much safer. 



" (5) While this station does uot recommend the practice of following either melons 

 or potatoes with tomatoes, it records the fact that it can often be done with safety." 



A new disease of the olive tree, A. P. Hayne {Cahfornia Sta. 

 Rpt. 1803 and 1894, jjp. 297, 298). — The author reports the presence in 

 various parts of the State of a new leaf disease of olives, which he has 

 determined as probably due to Cycloconium oleaginuni, a fungus which 

 is rather common in southern Euroi)e. He quotes G. Boyer, of the 

 Ecole Xatiouale d'Agriculture, Montpellier, France, who has made an 

 exhaustive study of the disease. Both surfaces of the leaf are attacked, 

 but more commonly the upper, where it forms circular sx)ots, black. 



