F. .r. F. SHAW. 117 



was discovered and stated to be a basidiomveete already known 

 to science as Corficiiim vagiim B. ci C. A basidiomycete is not, 

 liowever. the only fruiting stage which has been attributed to Rhi- 

 zoctoma. Fuckel(13) in 1869 stated that the ascomycete Bijsso- 

 thecium cireinans Fkl. (LeptospJiceria circinans Sacc.) was the per- 

 fect form of Rhizoctonia ; both were found on decaying stems of 

 Medicago sativa, but beyond this association there was no evidence 

 of their connection with one another. Prunet(23) also observed 

 this association of Rhizoctonia on lucerne with an ascomycete, but 

 the absence of details of culture work lessens the value of his state- 

 ments. Hartig(15) found a fungus resembling Rhizoctonia together 

 with a Rosellinia on the roots of oak, and it has been suggested 

 by Massee(19) that Rosellinia is the fruiting stage of Rhizoctonia. In 

 1897 Frank(12) reported Rhizoctonia riolaceo as attacking grape 

 vines, a Thelephora was also found associated with it and named 

 Th. rhizoctonife. There are, therefore, three or four distinct fungi 

 described as the fruiting stage of Rhizoctonia and some doubt still 

 prevails as to which is the tj'ue perfect form. 



In addition to the usual European hosts it seems fairly certain 

 that Rhizoctonia in America attacks seedling cotton. In 1892 At- 

 kinson(l) described a sterile fungus causing a damping off of cotton 

 seedlings, and his description of the hyphse of this fungus agrees very 

 closely with Rhizoctonia. A similar disease known as ''Sore shin" 

 has been described in Egypt by Balls(2), who states that it is iden- 

 tical with that described by Atkinson but does not identify it as 

 Rhizoctonia. A description of the Rhizoctonia attacking cotton 

 in India is given below and a comparison renders it extremely prob- 

 al)le that the American, Egyptian and Indian diseases are identical. 



In Europe and America Rhizoctonia is widely distributed, the 

 following being some of its more important hosts — 



Sugar-Beet . . . . . . . . Behi vulgaris. 



Bean . . . . . . . . Phaseolus. 



Carrot . . • • • ■ . . Daucus carota. 



Cabbage . . . . . . . . Brassica oleracea. 



Cotton . . . . . . . . Gossypiiim kirsulum 



\ , Lettuce .i :, .. .', Lactiic.i saliva. 



