J. SAUNDERS — witches' BROOMS. 69 



blossoms, whilst the diseased branches were quite destitute of 

 flowers. In several instances these rose erect, overtopping the 

 other parts by several feet. 



Cultivated Cherry (Primus Cerasus, L.). — An old cherry- 

 tree at Chaul End formerly sustained two Witches' Brooms, the 

 branches which bore them having been blown off in a gale during 

 the autumn of 1903. These growths were most conspicuous 

 during the period of blossoming, as they produced no flowers. 

 The diseased condition was due to the presence of Exoascus 

 Gerasi, Sadeb. {E. deformans fi Cerasi, Fuckel). The asci 

 were easily distinguished on the under surface of the leaves in 

 June and July. The spores were pale yellow, nearly smooth, 

 elongate, with a thin epidermis ; their dimensions were about 

 6 by 12 /«. The leaves were crumpled and of various shades 

 of crimson. 



In the orchard of Top Street Farm, Harpenden, there are several 

 trees infested with these parasitic growths. The usual characters 

 are present in a marked degree, the most conspicuous of which 

 are, the absence of flowers and fruit, the crumpling of the leaves, 

 and their dark crimson hue. The productiveness of the trees 

 must lie seriously diminished by the presence of these abnormal 

 conditions. 



Hawthorn {Cratpegus Oxyacantha, L., var. monogynia). — 

 In April, 1904, a fine example of Witches' Broom on an old 

 hawthorn bush was observed at Chaul End, on the Lynchets, 

 which are so marked a feature of the Chalk hills at that 

 place. The locality has a north-east aspect, which implies 

 a diminished amount of direct sunshine. The hawthorn was 

 a very old one, and the broom was not less than three feet in 

 diameter ; the branching was very dense and tortuous, with 

 a great accumulation of dead twigs. When first observed on 

 17th April the living portions of the broom were just unfolding 

 their leaves, which were smaller and more crowded than those on 

 the healthy branches. On a subsequent visit at the end of July, 

 it was noticed that many of the twigs on the broom had recently 

 withered, as the leaves on them were prematurely dead. The 

 foliage of the living twigs showed numerous brown patches, 

 which under a microscope exhibited asci and numerous nearly 

 spherical spores. 



In January, 1905, two large isolated hawthorns were observed 

 in Stoekwood Park, Luton, which were infested with these 

 growths. There were at least half a dozen large brooms on each 

 of them, and on one a primary branch was seen to have been 

 killed by the disease. The lirooms were conspicuous by reason 

 of their barrenness, as they showed in sombre contrast with the 

 healthy portions of the trees, which were laden with their red 

 fruits that gleamed in the winter sun. The branching of the 

 brooms was different from that of the healthy portions of 

 the trees, and many of the twigs were strangely distorted. 

 There was also the usual abundance of dead twio-s on the brooms. 



