F. T. Brooks 229 



head Nettle is caused by this fundus. ] look upon Silver leaf as 



a general pathological phenomenon which may be caused in various 



ways, although at present only one of these agents, the fungus 



Stereum purpureum, is known with certainty" (page 306). 



These extracts show a considerable divergence between Dr Smolak's 



statement quoted above and the views concerning Silver-leaf enunciated 



by me. The same opinions on the disease were also expressed by me 



iu an article that appeared in the Journal of the Board of Agriculture 



for November 1913. 



On page 155 of his paper Dr Smolak after quoting descriptions of 

 two cases in which I pointed out there was no connection between 

 silvering and Stereum purpureum or vice versa says: "Surely in the 

 light of this evidence it is not possible to believe that Stereum purpureum 

 is the sole cause of the disease ! " The above quotations from my paper 

 show that this is the substance of the view expressed by me in 1913 

 though Dr Smolak makes no mention of this fact. 



F. T. BROOKS. 



Cambridge, 



August 18th, 1915. 



