112 Natural History Bulletin. 



I. Plasmodiophora brassic^, WororJii. 



This species, the only one so far reported in this country, 

 infests the roots of cabbages, and produces a ver}^ serious 

 disease of that vegetable. In England the malady has long 

 been known under the names "clubbing," "fingers and toes," 

 etc. The roots affected swell greatly and at length resemble 

 sometimes the flexed fingers of the human hand, hence the 

 English name. As the disease progresses the roots speedily 

 rot away to the serious injury of the leaf-bearing portion of 

 the plant. In badly affected fields, sometimes one-half of the 

 crop is utterly destroyed. Careful search continued through 

 several years has not availed to bring this species to my per- 

 sonal acquaintance. 



In the 'Journal of Mycology^ Vol. VII, No. 2, Mr. Eycles- 

 hymer, writing on this subject, gives Iowa as a locality for 

 Plasmodiophora hrassiccB. Further authority for the state- 

 ment is not given. It may be said, however, that the occur- 

 rence of the parasite within our limits is not known to the 

 authorities at our Agricultural College or at the Experiment 

 Station. 



ORDER Ml^XOGASTERES,^ Schrceter. 

 (Myxomycetes proper.) 



Saprophytic Slime-moulds. So far as known the spores in 

 germination give rise to zoospores, at first ciliate (cilium 

 single) later amoeboid, which are capable of continued inde- 

 pendent existence, increase by fission, and finally coalesce 

 to form the plasmodial phase. The fruiting phase presents 

 abundant minute unicellular spores, either exposed, or enclosed 

 in sporangia. In the latter case the spores are more frequently 

 attended by thread-like structures, the capillitium. 



I Fries described all the Slime-moulds known to him {Syst. Mycol. Vol. 

 III.) under the sub-order Myxogastres^ order Gasteromycetes; Schrceter, as 

 above. 



