58 BULLETIN 380, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



of the fungus. There is apparently but one other requirement that could be 

 made according to the strictest pathological canons to perfect the proof in 

 this case, and that is the production of typical ascospores of E. parasitica 

 on the lesions produced by the inoculations. 



The last requirement has now been fulfilled. Specimens collected 

 February 15, 1915, from inoculations made September 20, 1913, on 

 chestnuts in Virginia, near Point of Rocks, Md., with Chinese ma- 

 terial, show perithecial stromata with typical ascospores of E. par- 

 asitica, thus completing the evidence. 



DISCOVERY OF ENDOTHIA PARASITICA IN JAPAN. 



More than two years after hi^ original discovery of Endothia 

 parasitica in China (June 3, 1913), Meyer also discovered the fungus 

 in Japan. A brief account of his discovery has already been pub- 

 lished by the writers (78). It may be sufficient here to state that fol- 

 lowing the discovery of Endothia parasitica in China the writers 

 endeavored by correspondence to obtain the fungus from Japan. 

 While not successful in obtaining Endothia parasitica, the writers 

 did receive several specimens of fungi, including species of Endothia 

 on species of Castanea. These, together with several specimens of 

 fungi found on chestnut nursery stock from Japan, make it clear 

 that there are in that country several Pyrenomycetes other than 

 Endothia parasitica more or less parasitic on Castanea. 



Meyer first discovered the chestnut-blight fungus in Japan at 

 Nikko, September 17, 1915, on wild trees of Castanea crenata Sieb. 

 and Zucc. A photograph of the trees from which he collected speci- 

 mens of Endothia parasitica is shown in Plate XXIII, figure 1, and 

 a branch from which the diseased material brought to the United 

 Sates was taken is shown in Plate XXIII, figure 2. 



Shortly after Meyer's arrival in Washington in December, 1915, 

 the specimens collected at Nikko were turned over to the writers for 

 study. Examination at once showed cankers and mycelial fans 

 typical of Endothia parasitica. The material also contained typical 

 pycnospores and ascospores of the fungus. Cultures made from 

 single ascospores on various culture media proved to be identical 

 with those of Endothia parasitica found in this country and in China, 

 thus establishing beyond question the identity of the fungus. 



Meyer's observations as to the resistance of the Japanese chestnuts 

 to this disease are of great interest. He states that the trees vary 

 considerably as regards their p^ower of resistance, but that in general 

 the Japanese chestnut is even more resistant to Endothia parasitica 

 than is the Chinese chestnut (Castanea m-ollissima) . 



As announced in the same publication (78), Endothia parasitica 

 was collected by Dr. Gentaro Yamada at Morioka, northern Japan. 

 These specimens, which show typical cankers as well as ascospores of 

 the fungus, were received by the writers on January 8, 1916. 



