548 ■ EXPERIMENT STATION EECORD. 



fungus for which the life history has not yet been worked out. Two pod diseases, 

 Thyridaria tarda and Nectria buinii, have been noted, also a pod anthracnose 

 provisionally taken to be Colletotrichuni thcohromicolum. 



Cotton seedlings are attacked with sore shin, which is thought to be a 

 physiological disease. The same view is held in regard to red rust, affecting 

 markedly American cotton and Agege cotton, which is considered to have a 

 strain of American descent. Selection of resistant varieties is recommended. 

 Cotton anthracnose, due to Colletotrichuni gossypii, attacks mainly the fruits 

 but also the stems. The Diplodia found causing a Doll rot is regarded as iden- 

 tical with one on cacao pods. Rust caused by Uredo gossypii is widespread 

 throughout the colony. Both forms of native cotton, the green seeded and the 

 naked seeded, are affected by leaf curl which is considered as a physiological 

 abnormality. Another disease, almost peculiar to native cottons but occurring 

 also on Brazilian cotton, is characterized by a blackening of the midrib and 

 larger veins of the leaves. Its origin is not known. 



Like the American cottons the native varieties are subject to rust, mildew, 

 anthracnose, etc. Later in the season native cottons show a peculiar black color 

 on the branches, the cause of which has not been investigated. 



Comparison of plant and animal tumors, P. Vuillemin (Biologica, S 

 (1913), No. 28, pp. 101-109, figs. 9). — The author discusses the characters of 

 several kinds of internal or external enlargements and distortions noted in dif- 

 ferent plant structures due to various causes, including bacteria, nematodes, etc., 

 pointing out some resemblances and differences noted in comparison of these 

 with animal tumors. 



Experiments on loose smut of grains, O. Appel and E. Riehm {Mitt, K. Biol. 

 Anst. Land u. Forstw., 1912, No. 12, pp. 9-lJf). — Continuing previous reports 

 (E. S. R., 26, p. 546), the authors submit results obtained by soaking wheat in 

 mercuric chlorid solution, showing no beneficial results with 1 per cent but 

 complete sterilization of the seed at 2 per cent applied for 3 hours. The hot- 

 water treatment found best adapted to the treatment of seed grain was from 

 6 to S hours at 27° C. and then from 10 to 20 minutes at 50 to 52°. It was 

 found that the immersion in loose sacks preliminary to the hot-air treatment 

 need not be prolonged more than 1^ or 2 hours when water to about 16 per cent 

 of the seed weight has been absorbed. If the grain be now removed from the 

 water, covered over night with sacks in a room at 25°, and then put through a 

 well-ventilated drying apparatus at 50° for 5 minutes, the water content is re- 

 duced to 12 per cent of the seed weight without injury to the grain, which is 

 practically sterilized. 



A disease of rice, N. Noveixi (Oior. Risicolt., 2 (1912), No. 15, pp. 226-228, 

 fig. 1; abs. in Internat. Inst. Agr. [Rome], Bui. Bur. Agr. Intel, and Plant Dis- 

 eases, 3 (1912), No. 10, p. 2303). — ^An account is given of the malformation and 

 stunting of 2 varieties of rice in the Pi-ovince of Pavia, Italy, resulting in the 

 failure of nearly all grains to germinate and in the reproduction of the 

 trouble to a less degree in those that sprouted. The trouble is ascribed to 

 faulty assimilation, but further investigations are promised. 



Phytoph.th.ora parasitica n. sp., a new disease of the castor oil plant, J. F. 

 Dastue (Mem. Dept. Agr. India, Bot. Ser., 5 (1913), No. J/, pp. 177-231, pis. 

 10; abs. in Agr. News [Barbados], 12 (1913), Nos. 293, pp. 238, 239; 29^, 

 pp. 25Jf, 255). — A description is given of the disease of the castor oil plant in 

 which both seedlings and the leaves of older plants are destroyed by a fungus 

 which has been isolated and described as P. parasitica n. sp. 



Sclerotinia on clover seed, R. Laubert (Mitt. K. Biol. Anst. Land u. Forstw., 

 1912, No. 12, pp. 17, 18; abs. in Mycol. Centbl., 1 (1912), No. 11, p. 372).— The 

 author reports that sclerotia found in clover seed produced apothecia clearly 



