748 EXPERIMENT STATION EECORD. 



No. 599, pp. 7, 8). — ^The results of an Investigation of tlie disease of cereals due 

 to Ophioholus ^raminis and Leptosphwria herpotrichioides are given, in which 

 the influence of temperature, rainfall, soils, cultural conditions, varieties, etc., 

 on the occurrence of the disease and results of experiments for the control of 

 the fungi are described. 



The authors claim that there are no known means for preventing the attack, 

 but that certain factors favor or retard the development of the disease. Ab- 

 normally high winter temperatures, excessive growth of winter wheat at the 

 beginning of the growing period, early seeding, the excessive use of nitrogenous 

 fertilizers, susceptible varieties, and the too frequent seeding of the ground 

 with wheat all favor the development of the fungi. Late, but not too late 

 seeding, slow growth before winter, the avoidance of the excessive use of fer- 

 tilizers and of manures containing infected straw, and the adoption of rota- 

 tions in which nonsusceptible crops, such as alfalfa, are introduced, tend to 

 reduce liability to attack and loss from this disease. 



The quality of the 1913 grain for seed purposes, L. Hiltner and G. Gent- 

 NER {Prakt. Bl. Pflanzenljau u. Schutz, n. ser., 11 (1913), No. 12, pp. 14-5-148, 

 fig^ X)^ — The authors state that numerous tests of seed sent from various parts 

 of Bavaria showed for 1913 a high degree of Fusarium infection for wheat, 

 oats, and rye. This is said to be more severe on the winter wheat and rye. 



Smut experiments, R. E. Soutter {Ann. Rpt. Dept. Agr. and Stock [Queens- 

 land], 1912-13, pp. Ill, 112; Queensland Agr. Jour., 80 {1913), Nos. 2, pp. 97-99; 

 3, pp. 162, 163). — These tests were carried out at the Bungeworgorai State 

 Farm, Roma. 



Of the 31 varieties of wheat tested for resistance, 26 gave from 25 to 94 per 

 cent free from smut. The remaining 5 were entirely free from smut, one of 

 these, Florence, being about the earliest flowering variety grown in that sec- 

 tion. Arsenic seed treatment continued to give favorable results as regards 

 germination, infection, and reinfection. The salt and sheep dip treatments were 

 discontinued as being of no value. 



Development of beet mildew, G. Fron {Jour. Agr. Prat., n. ser., 26 {1913), 

 No. 48, pp. 686, 687). — The author gives briefly the results of observations 

 regarding the influence of unfavorable meteorological conditions during recent 

 winters as related to the activity of Peronospora schachtii, which has inflicted 

 serious injury in late years upon the beet crops in northern France. 



Development of beet mildew in 1912-13, G. Fron {Bui. Soc. Nat. Agr. 

 France, 73 {1913), No. 9, pp. 709-712).— Th\i>, note, presented by Hitler, states 

 that weather conditions described as prevalent near Montdidier during the last 

 two years have favored the successful wintering of Peronospora schachtii and 

 early and profuse distribution of its spores. 



The systematic position of the organism of the common potato scab, 

 H. T. GtJssow {Science, n. ser., 39 {1914), ^"o. 1003, pp. ^-3i--^33).— While study- 

 ing the organism that causes the scab of potatoes, an attempt was made to 

 determine the proper name for the fungus provisionally described by Thaxter 

 as Oospora scaUes (E. S. R., 3, p. 772). Following international rules the 

 author claims the name for the organism should be Actinomyces scabies. 



Foliage resistance of different varieties of potatoes to Phytophthora 

 infestans, I. E. Melhus {Ads. in Science, n. ser., 39 {1914), No. 998, pp. 257, 

 258). — The author describes a method in which varietal resistance of potatoes 

 to P. infestans was studied by artiflcally infecting the foliage. 



The plants are grown in a greenhouse under conditions supposed to be favor- 

 able for the development of the fungus, the conidia of the fungus are germinated 

 in water under optimum temperature conditions, and the resulting zoospores 

 sprayed on the lower surfaces of the healthy leaves of vigorous plants from 6 



