292 
the borders of cornfields, suggest its accidental introduction with 
seeds from the Mediterranean region. Some authors prefer the 
name P. nodosa, L., to P. bulbosa, L., but Hackel explained in 1880 
(Cat. rais. Gram. Portug. p. 2) why P. bulbosa has to stand, and it 
is hardly necessary to repeat his arguments. 
How far the claims of the grass as a first-class fodder grass are 
Justified is still to be seen, but the reports from Australia as well 
as from Natal are undoubtedly promising. 
XXXVIII—CUCUMBER AND TOMATO CANKER. 
(Mycosphaerella citrullina, Grossenb.) 
(With Plate.) 
G. Massrx, 
Dr. Grossenbacher has recently described a disease caused by 
Mycosphaerella evtrullina, Grossenb., which proves very destructive 
to melons in the United States. The disease is first indicated by 
present a water-logeed appearance, often accompanied by an 
exudation of gum. At a later stage the diseased patches change 
to an ashy-grey or whitish colour, and the epidermis becomes 
broken up and studded with numerous perithecia belonging to the 
conidial stage of the fungus. This is followed by the production 
of the ascigerous condition of the fungus when the host is dying or 
— _ Infection experiments proved that the spores of the fungus 
eae ste melon ee also other allied plants, although 
er pr i 
infection in the United Btsten: eet: ei ae 
Quite recently specimens of diseased tomato plants were received 
at Kew, from Waltham Cross, 
. ve, a diseased cucumber 
— Md stot Gloucestershire, which showed the whitish 
aad a as al portions of the stem, characteristic of the American 
eae tine Aeon minute perithecia, which proved on 
Pines 4c “a those of the Ascochyta, were present on the 
ovement ie attacked by this disease are stated to be quickly 
right, # pees conducted at Kew showed that the 
cucumber plants would infect oung tomato 
P’ants, and that 5 ow — a tomato plant would iulest vegetable 
ee . Instances the plants infected showed the 
ee nr) Stage of the fungus within a fortnight, and in 
ces the lesions formed were characteristic. 
