420 Agrindtural Journal of Victoria. 



The Disease in other Countries. 



The same disease occurs in other countries, but under different 

 names, and this, as well as the fact that the reproductive state is only 

 sparsely produced in some years, has prevented its earlier recognition 

 here. Besides, elsewhere, it does not usually kill oft' the plants in the 

 early stage, recognized as take-all by us, but after the ears are formed 

 and the grain begins to develop. 



In Britain, Smith (5), refers to a disease well-known to farmers 

 under the name of straw blight. It commonly reveals its presence 

 in midsummer, by the impoverished ears, but it sometimes occurs in 

 spring, and then it kills off the plants. Only the mycelium or 

 vegetative portion of the fungus has been found on and in the straw 

 very close to the ground, but from its mode of occurrence and 

 structure there is no doubt of its being the same disease. The losses 

 range from one-half to one-fiftieth part of the crop, and perfect 

 drainage is recommended to lessen its attacks. 



It also occurs periodically in Italy, Belgium, Germany, and France, 

 and has recently been discovered in America, and in some of these 

 countries it has been closely investigated. In France, where it goes 

 under the name of foot- rot, and has been known at least since 1878, 

 Prillieux and Delacroix (7), have called attention to this disease 

 as well known to agriculturists, and widely distributed, and show it 

 to be caused by this parasitic fungus. At harvest-time they did not 

 find the fungus forming its reproductive bodies, as often occurs with 

 us, but later, and they recommend the destruction of those grasses 

 on which this fungus is parasitic as well as on the wheat. 



Mangin (19), has specially investigated this disease, and the 

 fungus causing it, and succeeded in infecting young wheat-plants 

 with the spores, thus proving it to be a parasite. 



Schribaux (8), in the '" -lournal of Practical Agriculture," describes 

 various experiments in connection with this disease carried out at the 

 Seed-control Station, near Paris. He found that early varieties were 

 chiefly attacked, and that some varieties had a high degree of resistance. 

 He also carefully collected and burnt the rotting stubble attacked by 

 the fungus, and not only was this of no avail, but next year the 

 disease attacked the crops with greater severity than before. Experi- 

 ments with various manures, such as superphosphate, chloride of 

 potash, and dried blood, showed that they tended to check the fungus, 

 and a dressing of Thomas phosphate with rolling, gave excellent 

 results. He also tried ti eating the soil before sowing with solutions 

 of sulphate of copper, sulphate of iron, and a dilute solution of 

 sulphuric acid, but they turned out more injurious than useful. 

 In Germany, the fungus causing this disease, is known by the 

 expressive name of wheat-stem killer, and was determined there by 

 Frank (13), in 1894. 



Cordley (26), describes a disease occurring in Oregon, U.S.A., 

 which has all the characteristics of this one, although only the fungus 

 mycelium has been found. 



