175 
THE PARASITIC FUNGI OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY. I. 
H. W. AnD P. J. ANDERSON. 
Ten years ago the writers became interested in fungi and began collect- 
ing and preserving the parasitic forms which thrive on the rich native and 
cultivated flora of Montgomery county. No season during that decade has 
failed to add materially to the number of species collected. College years 
at Wabash, summers on the farm near Ladoga, vacation excursions to The 
Shades, Pine Hills and other country stations have been made more inter- 
esting and profitable in the hunt for previously uncollected fungi. Even 
after both of the writers took up their work in other states, at least one 
month of each year has been spent in Montgomery County, and many col- 
lecting trips have added to the growing number of species. The abundance 
of fungi varies greatly from year to year but hardly a flowering plant can 
be found which is not parasitized at some time by at least one fungus and 
frequently by many of them. To be sure, many of these fungi have been 
previously reported from the county, many more from other counties of the 
state, others only from other states, but a considerable number have not 
been reported before from North America and even a few seem to be 
species new to science. 
Non-parasitiec forms have also been collected and preserved and it was 
the original intention to include all in this list. Since, however, the study 
and determination of the saprophytes has been much more limited, they 
have been reserved for a future presentation after more collecting and 
study. In order that this paper may be more useful to students of fungi 
it has been thought best to include not only all our own collections, but 
also those of all others who have collected or reported fungi from the 
county. 
The paper is presented with a threefold object: (1) as a contribution 
to the biological survey of the state, a worthy enterprise, started over 
twenty-five years ago but the cryptogamic part of which has made little 
progress during the last two decades; (2) as a help to plant pathologists 
in determining the range and prevalence of pathogenes; (3) as a reference 
and finding list for local students of fungi, amateurs and professionals, who 
will find determination of newly found species mueh facilitated by the 
use of the appended host index. This list, however, undoubtedly does not 
include all the parasites of the county. A summer day spent in the woods 
or along the low banks of the streams still vields the excitement of finding 
many a new one and will continue to do so for years to come. Nor have 
the collecting possibilities of the orchard, garden and flower bed been by 
any means exhausted. The list of species on plants of economic importance 
will seem meager to the experienced plant pathologist; for example only 
one parasite is reported on potato. This is due to the fact that less atten- 
tion was paid to the common economic fungi than to the rarer parasites on 
wild plants. It is hoped that other students will find the pursuit as allur- 
ing as the writers have and will continue to add to this list and increase 
its usefulness. 
