100 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



ultimately it would pass entirely from the domain of saprophyt- 

 ism to the domain of parasitism. 



Unfortunately we are in the dark as to the true state of things, 

 since we have not the recorded monilia genealogy for more than 

 a few years back. It might, perhaps, be asked with equal pro- 

 priet}', Is not the monilia passing from the parasitic habit to the 

 saprophytic ? Here we are also in the dark, but it would seem that 

 what little evidence we have would tend to show that this latter sug- 

 gestion could not be true of the monilia, since we should expect 

 to find that a fungus v/hich had been an obligate parasite on a 

 very wide range of hosts for a long period would have developed 

 numerous species as the hosts themselves became more and more 

 unlike by the action of the law of evolution and variation among- 

 themselves. 



If we look upon it as a saprophyte which is making its way into 

 the domain of parasitism, its present habit of growing readily 

 and abundantly during a large part of the season as a saprophyte 

 Avould tend to prevent its lapse into distinct forms. It Avould be 

 incorrect, however, not to admit that even in saprophytism the- 

 Monilia fructigena could exist under conditions which would tend- 

 to separate it into distinct species in the lapse of time. 



The fungus of potato and tomato rot also possesses quite a 

 wide range in the hosts which give it sustenance. It occurs not 

 only on many of the Solanaceae, but also on certain members of 

 another family, the Scrophulariacese. So far as we know it is- 

 much more of an obligate parasite than the monilia, and accord- 

 ing to the experiments of a late renowned investigator of the 

 fungi, Anton de Bary, it cannot live as a saprophyte, for when 

 the tissues of the plant have decayed the mycelium of the fun- 

 gus speedily dies in those parts. Brefeld says, on the contrary, 

 that it grows readily as a weed on various dead substances, but 

 in his works there does not seem to be an}^ evidence to this effect 

 other than the mere statement. Since the eminent de Bary came 

 to opposite conclusions, it would appear more convincing if the 

 experiments leading to these results which Brefeld reached were- 

 given in detail. 



One year ago I made quite an extended experiment, hoping to- 

 be able to grow the J'/u/toj/IifJiom itifestftns in pure culture on 

 artificial media, or upon sterilized potato and also on sterilized 

 tomato leaves, which, in the living condition, form the best known 



