56 EXPERIME^'T STATIOX BECOKD. 



Coconut disease in New Hebrides, M. J. Kowalski (Rev. Agr. Nouvelle- 

 Caledonie, No. 44 {1914), pp- 56-59). — Leaf disease of coconut, ascribed to 

 Pestallozia palmaruvi, is described as causing considerable loss in connection 

 with young trees. A cacao leaf disease of undetermined cause is reported, also 

 a scale insect of coffee trees, which may be the same as that which attacks 

 coffee in Madagascar. 



Melaxuma of the Eng'lish walnut, H. S. Fawcett {Mo. Bui. Com. Hort. 

 Cal., 4 {1915), No. 7, pp. 293-297, figs. 2). — A description is given of melaxuma, 

 a disease causing black cankers and exudation of black sap on the large limbs 

 and trunks of English walnut trees. This has become of considerable im- 

 portance in Santa Barbara County, California, within the past three years, and 

 has been found in other counties named. 



The disease is infectious, being caused by a species of Dothiorella which also 

 attacks a willow common in this vicinity, poles of which are often u-sed to prop 

 the lower limbs of the walnut trees. If not too far advanced, it may be con- 

 trolled by cutting out the cankers and dead limbs and treating the wounds with 

 strong lime sulphur or with Bordeaux paste, directions for the preparation and 

 use of which are given. 



Canker of Pelargonium, W. Magnus (Gartcnflora, 64 {1915), No. 5-6, pp. 

 66-€8, figs. 2). — Brief mention is made of the production of tumorous growths 

 on Pelargonium, apparently similar to those frequently observed to form spon- 

 taneously, by inoculation with bacteria said to be also pathogenic to animals, 

 including human beings. 



The effect of continued desiccation on the expulsion of ascospores of 

 Endothia parasitica, F. D. Heald and R. A. Sturhalteb {Mycologia, 7 {1915), 

 No. 3, pp. 126-130). — Tests described are said to show that while continued 

 desiccation does not prevent the expulsion of spores by the perithecia of E. para- 

 sitica when resubjected to favorable conditions of temperature and moisture, 

 it does lengthen the period from the beginning of favorable conditions to the 

 first expulsion, so that perithecial material which has been drierl for three 

 months or more would rarely, if ever under natural condition.s, discharge 

 spores. Material dried for one or two mouths might be a source of danger. 



Spores from desiccated perithecia showed little or no reduction in germina- 

 bility. Apparently, also, the time limit of ability to expel ascospores was not 

 reached in the longest period (11 months and 18 days) here employed. 



Tests on the durability of greenheart, C. J. Humphrey {Mycologia, 7 {1915), 

 No. 4y PP- 204-209, pi. 1). — Tests of Ncctatidra rodi(ri are described as carried 

 out with various wood-destroying fungi under favorable conditions. Heartwood 

 proved highly resistant, and in most cases practically immune, to all the fungi 

 used, very little effect being visible. The sapwood proved immune to only 3 of 

 the 23 fungi employed. Lenzites sepiaria caused a loss in dry weight of 37 per 

 cent in one year, MeruUiis lacrynians 26 per cent, and the losses caused by 6 

 other fungi ranged from 10 to 25 per cent. 



Observations on Herpotrichia nigra and associated species. F. J. Seaveb 

 {Mycologia, 7 {1915), No. -J, pp. 210, 211). — The author reports that spores of a 

 fungus found on Picea with H. nigra and Ncopcckia coultcri, and at first 

 thought to be those of an undescribed species of Ilerpotricliia, were found to 

 be those of a Mytilidion closely related to or identical with M. fusisporum and 

 frequently associated with H. nigra on conifers. The Mytilidion has also been 

 found associated with N. coultcri on pine needles. 



Some observations on sycamore blight and accompanying fungi, .7. P. 

 Anderson {Proc. lotca Acad. Sri., 21 (1914), pp. 109-114. pls- 2).— A brief 

 account is given of the partial investigation of sycamore blight (Gnomonia 



