65 
the plant rusts were recognized by Dr. Joseph Schroeter as early 
as 1879, and in 1894 Jakob Eriksson published his classic work 
on the specialization of the cereal rust fungi. Since then, ex- 
tensive studies on the relation of the parasitic fungi to their hosts 
have revealed widespread occurrence of this phenomenon. 
Specialized races cannot be separated on the basis of any 
structural character; their differentiation depends upon their 
ability to infect some strains or varieties of hosts, while others 
are resistant. 
The existence of physiologic races of the smuts on oats was 
first reported by Dr. George M. Reed in July, 1924 (Brooklyn 
Bot. Gard. Record 13: 103-124, Amer. Jour. Bot. 11: 483-492). 
In December of the same year, Dr. James A. Faris, research 
assistant with Dr. Reed at the Brooklyn Garden, published his 
discovery of specialized races of the covered smut of barley 
(Phytopathology 14: 537-557). These discoveries were based on 
experimental studies carried on at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden 
under an endowment provided by Mr. Alfred T. White, first 
Chairman of the Botanic Garden Governing Committee. In the 
Brooklyn Bot. Gard. Record 14: 42, April, 1925, a record of Dr. 
Faris’ results demonstrating physiologic races of the bunt of 
wheat is made, and Dr. Reed published extensive data on this 
problem (Brooklyn Bot. Gard. Record 16: 41, April, 1926; 17: 45, 
April 1928; Amer. Jour. Bot. 13: 157-170, Feb., 1928). In April, 
1927, Dr. Reed, Miss Swabey, and Miss lxolk, published their 
account of the discovery of physiologic differences between the 
head smut of corn and sorghum (Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 54: 
295-310). 
This year Dr. Reed reports the existence of a new specialized 
race of loose smut which attacks Victoria oats, and oat hybrids 
of which Victoria is one of the parents. Victoria has proved to 
be very resistant to hitherto known specialized races, and many 
selections have been produced in recent years, 
er 
excellent hybric 
one of their outstanding characteristics being their smut re 
sistance. The discovery of this new physiologic race of smut is 
striking evidence of the complexity of successful plant breeding. 
A breeder may work along definite lines, and obtain excellent 
resistant strains of the plants with which he is working. Later, 
