288 Annual Report for 1912 of the Botanist. 



Since the lifting of the cro}) tubers attacked by Bacillus 

 solaniperda and also by Nedria solani have been reported on. 



Glovers. — Sclerotia similar to those of the fungus almost 

 invariably found in cases of clover-sickness {Sclerotinia 

 trifoliorum) occurred on specimens of lucerne and sainfoin 

 taken from " plants " which had begun to die off in patches. 

 On lucerne especially much damage appears to have been 

 caused both on young and well estaljlished leys. The disease 

 is known to extend rapidly during the late autumn and winter 

 months. As a possible method of checking the progress of the 

 disease the application of fresh lime is being tried on a large 

 scale, and the use of one or two fungicides on a smaller scale. 

 Pseudopeziza tnfolii, a fungus responsible for the formation 

 of dark brown spots on the leaves of clover, has also been 

 received on specimens of lucerne. The attack according to 

 the accompanying report was sufficiently severe to cause the 

 leaves to fall before the end of July. 



Wheat and other Cereals. — If the number of enquiries is 

 any index the wheat crop must have suffered from the attacks 

 of parasitic fungi more than is usually the case during the past 

 season. In addition to such common diseases as rust, mildew, 

 smut and bunt cases of loss through the attacks of Septoria 

 graminis and Gladosporiuni herbarn?7i have been investigated. 

 Information was asked for with regard to a disease which had 

 caused the almost complete destruction of the crop, but the 

 enquiry came too late in the season for satisfactory investigations 

 to be carried out, 



Helminthosporium gramineum, the fungus responsible for 

 " blindness " in barley, was again reported on. The disease, 

 though usually overlooked, is undoubtedly extremely common. 

 It can be prevented with certainty by steeping the seed in a 

 dilute solution of formalin ( one part iu 160 of water) for five 

 or ten minutes. If the grain has to be drilled before drying 

 some allowance should be made for the fact that the grain 

 swells under this treatment. 



Roots. — In addition to the common swede mildew and 

 finger and toe, Pseudomonas destructans and Botrytis, both 

 causing a rapid decay of the root, were received for examination. 



Fruit trees. — Several enquiries with regard to silver-leaf 

 were answered. In the majority of cases the disease had 

 attacked Victoria plums, whilst in one case apple trees were 

 afirected, and in another a laurel. As curative measures appear 

 to be far from satisfactory, the destruction of the trees was 

 recommended with the view of stopping the further spread of 

 the disease. Peach curl, apple and pear scab and the grey rot 

 (Monilia), were reported on on several occasions. An obscure 

 malady popularly known as leaf -scorch of the apple, which has 



