650 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



said to have so diminished the vitality and stores of material in the buds that 

 in the following year (1912) only weak shoots or none at all appeared. He 

 recommends the use of well-rotted manures about the plants and the removal 

 of all twigs found to be affected. 



Report of the plant pathologist, G. L. Fawcett (Porto Rico 8ta. Rpt. 1912, 

 pp. 31-38). — Notes are given of investigations on diseases of bananas, citrus 

 fruits, coffee, and coconuts. 



The investigations on banana diseases seem to indicate that the fungi asso- 

 ciated with some of the more common diseases are not actually parasitic but 

 are able to attack old or weakened plants. 



The citrus fruit disease reported upon is the anthracnose. The author's in- 

 vestigations seem to indicate that the wounds caused by scale or other insects 

 favor the spread of the fungus causing this disease. 



Notes are given on the West Indian coffee disease due to Stilbella flavida, 

 and an investigation is in progress to determine if possible other forms of the 

 fungus which are believed to be on other host plants. A new root rot of coffee, 

 which differs somewhat from the e#Himon type, is briefly noted. 



The coconut disease described i« that due to Thielaviopsis ethaceticus, and 

 is said to result in considerable iajury to the foliage. 



Black pit of lemon, C. O. Smith (Abs. in Phytopathology, 3 {1913), No. 1, 

 p. 69). — The author has given a description of a bacterial disease of lemons, due 

 to Bacterium dtripiiteale n. sp. The organism has been isolated, and success- 

 ful artificial inoculations have been made with it on lemons, limes, oranges, and 

 grape fruit. 



The American Boti-ytis blight of peonies, H. H. Whetzel and J. Rosen- 

 KAUM {Abs. in Phytopathology, S {1913), No. 1, p. 70).— This disease, which is 

 s.iid to have first become epidemic in the eastern United States in 1897, is char- 

 acterized by the rotting of the stems at the base soon after they appear in the 

 spring, followed later by the blasting and rotting of the unopened buds and the 

 blighting of the leaves. The identity of the organism causing the disease has 

 not been definitely determined, but it is not considered identical with B. 

 poeonide. The parasite is believed to pass the winter in sclerotial form in the 

 old stems or stubble, primary infections arising from conidia produced in the 

 spring. 



Attack of cultivated roses by Peronospora sparsa, A. Bbetschneideb 

 {Osterr. Gart. Ztg., 7 {1912), No. 6, pp. 223-226; ab.s. in Ztschr. Landio. Ver- 

 suchsw. Osterr., 15 {1912), No. 12, p. 1305). — Hothouse roses in lower Austria 

 were severely attacked by P. sparsa, which was successfully treated with cop- 

 per sprays. 



The diseases of the sweet pea, J. J. Taubenhaus {Abs. in Phytopathology, 

 S {1913), No. 1, p. 70). — Additional observations are given on the sweet pea 

 anthracnose due to Glomerella nifomaculans (E. S. R., 28, p. 444). The mosaic 

 disea.se and damping-off due to Rhizoctonia and Sclerotinia libertiana are 

 reported attacking sweet peas under glass as well as out of doors. A root rot 

 of sweet peas, due to Thielavia basicola, is also reported for the first time in 

 this country. A mildew, possibly due to Erysiphe poVygoni, is recorded as 

 troublesome to sweet peas grown under glass. 



The Thielavia disease of violets, D. Reddick {Abs. in Phytopathology, S 

 {1913), No. 1, p. IJf). — Serious damage to violets in commercial and private 

 houses is reported as due to T. basicola. The roots become infected and are 

 rotted off at the point of attack. The presence of the disease is said to be 

 usually manifest by the peculiar yellowing and slight curling of the foliage. 

 The runners and leaf petioles are said to become infected, and in this condition 

 the disease is usually spoken of by growers as the black rot disease. Plants 



