228 AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. [Jan. 



absorption of water until they become nearly or quite 

 spherical in form, and then germinate by extending a germ- 

 tube nearly as large as the average of the vegetative filaments 

 of the fungus. Lack of suitable material has prevented the 

 culture of this fungus on nutrient media or attempts to inoc- 

 ulate cucumber plants with the fungus, but everything points 

 to this fungus as the cause of the trouble. 



From the description given it is evident that it is one of 

 the numerous uncertain and little-known fungus forms ; and, 

 according to our present system of classification, it must be 

 placed in or very near the form-genus Acremonium. Should 

 the disease reappear the comming winter, special attention 

 will be given to it and especially to the determination of its 

 etiological relation to the disease in question. 



The present incomplete note is here inserted as a prelim- 

 inary record of a new disease of cucumbers and of what has 

 been observed in connection with it, with the primary object 

 of calling the attention of other pathologists and of growers 

 of cucumbers under glass to it. It is especially requested 

 that any person who observes this or any similar disease will 

 promptly notify the writer of its presence, and send speci- 

 mens and all possible details concerning its appearance and 

 spread. Dr. Fisher states that this disease reduces the yield 

 of badly attacked plants to ten per cent, of the normal. It 

 seems difficult to combat, as it steadily increased in his 

 houses in spite of applications of all the most efficient fungi- 

 cides. 



Rye Fungi. — The winter rye on the station plots was 

 attacked severely by three fungi. In June many of the 

 leaves showed the swelling and distorting effect of the leaf 

 smut (Urocystis occulta Wallr.), further details concerning 

 which will be found in another part of this report. It has 

 not as bad a reputation and is not as well known as the grain 

 smuts, but it undoubtedly does much harm in weakening the 

 plant and so in reducing the production of both grain and 

 straw. 



At the same time with the smut there appeared in exten- 

 sive orange patches on the leaves the summer spores of one 

 of the grain rusts {Puccinia rubigo-vera (DC.) Wint.), so 

 abundantly that they arose in clouds when the plants were 



