l8 9i-J What the Station Botanists are Doing. 289 



the yield, and that the hot water method is equally effective. 



Results in the method of preparing seed potatoes have been 



obtained that may materially modify the customary ways of 

 planting. 



Atkinson, of Alabama, has considered the fungous diseases 

 of the cotton, describing some new species and recommending 

 methods of treatment. He finds Colletotrichum gossypii South. 

 on leaves and stems of cotton as well as the bolls; notes great 

 injury to the fig by Uredo Fici, with suggestions as to spraying 

 the tree to prevent it, and records for the first time in the 

 United States the Ccrcospora Bollcana on leaves of the fig. 

 He describes the nature of "Frenching" in cotton and shows 

 that it is due to a fungus — a species of Fusarium. Critical 

 notes have been published upon Erysipheaeof the Carolinasand 

 Alabama, including the new species, Microspluera caloclad- 

 ophora on Quercus aquatica. 



Beal. of M 



grasses 



and clovers, that were planned several years ago. 



BESSEY, of Nebraska, has investigated the natural forestry 

 of the state and will soon publish the results. He is continu- 

 ing his study of the forage problem of the plains. 



Burrill, of Illinois, has determined practical methods of 

 exterminating Canada thistles. These pests do not seed in 

 the rich prairie soil, but spread by rootstocks. Excellent re- 

 sults have been obtained with copper compounds as fungicides 

 for grape rot, apple scab and potato blight. The latter is 

 demonstrated to be a bacterial disease. A serious trouble of 

 the blackberry and raspberry he has traced to the twig blight 

 of pears {Micrococcus amylovorus). Studies are in progress 

 upon several other bacterial diseases. Pitccinia rubigovcra 

 has been found living over winter in the leaves of wheat and 

 producing rust spores in early spring which grow upon the 

 fresh foliage. 



Chester, of Delaware, while confining himself almost ex- 

 clusively to treatment of fungous diseases, has, in connection 

 with the chemist, reached important conclusions as to the 

 preparation of fungicides; e. g., in the use of carbonate of 

 ammonia instead of aqua ammonia ; the employment of glue 

 and the use of a double hyposulphate of copper. It is now too 

 early to report upon many field experiments. A study has 

 been made of leaf spot of alfalfa, wheat scab, and rot of scarlet 

 clover. 



