1920] DISEASES OF PLANTS. 45 



crops ; and vei'y briefly, of specific' plant diseases, those due to fungi liaving 

 l)een generally less injurious this year than formerly. 



Annual report for 1918 of the botanist, R. H. Biffen (Jotir. Roy. Agr. 

 Soc. England, 79 (1918). pp. 25.'f-258). — This report deals principally with 

 fungus diseases of plants, in particular of potato and wheat whicli have 

 suffered principally during the year. Spraying with Bordeaux mixture proved 

 lieneficial. Wart disease Is reported in fresh outbreaks, constituting an alarm- 

 ing advance toward the great potato-raising district of England. 



Wheat w'as attacked in different sections by yellow rust (Pucdnm glumarnm), 

 and by black rust (P. grominis). Bunt was unusually abundant. Loose 

 smut of wheat was also common. Mildew was reported on all cereals, causing 

 serious damage to wheat in one locality. Rotting of yellow globe mangolds 

 during February proved to be due to Botrytis. Rust was reported on mangolds, 

 also finger-and-toe, soft rot, and mildew (as affecting swedes). Reports were 

 made on bean rust and clover sickness, and frequently of scab and canker on 

 apples, broven rot on apples and plums, and rust on plums. Glassy disease 

 of apples (causation obscure) was also reported. 



[Report of] laboratory for plant diseases, C. J. J. van Hall (Janrh. 

 Dept. Landb.,, Niji'- en Handel Nederland. Indie, 1911, pp. 22-31). — In this por- 

 tion of a report of wider scope, an account is given of diseases affecting plants 

 and of related investigations and publications. 



Notes on mycology during 1918, W. N. C. Belgrave {Agr. Bui. Fed. 

 Malay States, 3 (1919), No. 7, pp. Ul-li3).— The mycological section has been 

 chiefly engaged during the year witli diseases of rubber. 



The study of brown bast has yielded no positive results, no causal organisms 

 having been identified. No serious epidemic of black stripe (Phytophthora sp.) 

 develoi^ed during the year. IMoldy rot (Spluvronema sp.) was also held in 

 check by weather conditions during most of the year. During the drought in 

 the early part of 1918, a greenish-black mold appeared on recently tapped 

 surfaces which proved to be due to a species of Cladosporium, and to be 

 successfully treated by tarring. A canker of obscure causation produced ex- 

 tensive damage in one locality. 



Following the drought, many estates suffered from yellowing and falling 

 of the leaves, followed by die-back of the branches and in some cases by death 

 of the tree. The fungi isolated include Diplodia sp., Gloeosporium sp., Col- 

 letotriehum sp., Cytospora sp., and Helmmtliosporium sp. A soft heart rot 

 starting fi-om the stumps of broken branches yielded a fungus which proved 

 to be a Dsedalea, which reproduced the disease. The wet rot fungus originally 

 described as Poria hypolaferitia was provisionally named Fames pseudoferreus. 

 Diseases identified or investigated on other crops were Gloeosporium sp. on 

 pepper, Sclerotium sp. and bacteria on an imported variety of castor bean, 

 and UstiJaginoidea sp. on rice. 



Leaf-stripe of barley [in Scotland] (Scot. Jour. Agr., 2 (1919), No. Jf. pp. 

 535, 536). — The barley leaf stripe fungus (Pleospora graminea) is said to be 

 present in nearly every field of barley, early sowings in cold soil giving large 

 percentages (reaching 30 per cent) of infected plants. It is said to be more 

 prevalent in 4- or 6-rowed barley than in 2-rowed varieties, also iii the varieties 

 with short, broad, and erect ears. 



Seed treatments, constituting the only protection available, ai-e outlined. 



Barberry eradication, H. E. Morris (Rpt. Proc. Mont. State Hort. Soc, 

 22 (1919), pp. 113-116). — After a discussion of barberry destruction operations, 

 the author states that as a result of his own observations a considerable 

 number of barberries were located in the western part of Montana and rusted 



