454 NEW JERSEY AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE 



ordinary hosts, the smartweeds, are closely related to the buckwheats 

 In some trials upon smartweeds in the greenhouse, it is quite 

 evident that the buckwheat is not the first choice of this dodder ; but, 

 nevertheless, the parasite secured a foothold and developed clusters of 

 flowers of considerable size. There was one serious enemy to the 

 dodder, namely, plant lice, that interfered with the experiments, and 

 only by constant watching were any results obtained. The lice- 

 seemed to leave everything else in the greenhouse for the tender 

 feeding ground furnished by the delicate young stems of the dodder, 

 and were they at all numerous in clover or flax fields, it would seem 

 that there could be no harm done to those crops by these slender 

 plant parasites. In case of the buckwheat there was a formation of 

 considerable enlargements of the stem at the places entwined by the- 

 dodder. Stems will make a similar growth when stung by insects, 

 and it may be that the attacking plant so irritates the host that an 

 abnormal growth follows. It may be an attempt on the part of the 

 buckwheat to overcome the enemy strengthening itself at a place 

 otherwise weakened by the enemy. Plate XIII. shows the dodder 

 upon the buckwheat stem. 



When dodders climb up woody stems of more than a year in age 

 no such increase in size is usually met with. Along ponds and 

 streams, alders, birches and other shrubs may be found with dodder 

 fastened to twigs that are several years old, but they prefer the young 

 twigs, and may reach them at the top of a button-ball bush, for 

 example, by climbing up some vine and then spreading out upon the 

 top of the shrub. Impatiens has a succulent stem, that is a favorite 

 of the dodders, while any annual weed will answer for the ' ' stepping 

 stone ' ' to higher feeding ground. Clematis and Mikania scandens are 

 climbing plants that the little parasitic twiner finds a successful 

 means of getting up in the world. 



Notes Upon Dodder.* 



* The following notes are taken largely from the Experiment Station Record : 



Delaware Bulletin 5, June, 1889, F. D. Chester. Under inspection of seeds it was 

 found that " in one hundred and forty-eight samples of seeds sold in Delaware, 

 * * * five contained dodder." E. S. R., I., p. 24. 



Colorado Bulletin 8, July, 1889. " The parasitic dodder (Cuscuta) is described^ 

 and farmers are urged to prevent its introduction with alfalfa by taking care to pur- 

 chase pure seed.'' E. S. R., I., p. 190. 



New Mexico Station Bulletin 2, October, 1890, p. 2. "The dodder {Cmcuta 

 trifolia) is very troublesome in this region." E. S. R., II., p. 419. 



