lOIi- T}i6 Western Pomologist and Gardener. 1872- 



rehersal. Our species hardly differs generically, and Tursh's name might have been 

 adopted. 



A member of the Linnaean society, of Lancaster, Pa., Mr. Eshelman, brought a branch 

 quite green and having flowers, taken from a tree in the latter part of January, 1872, 

 although its flowering period is set down for April. Here allow me to remark, that what 

 is called the oil nut or Bufialonut, (Pyrularia Oleifera or pubera Michx.) a low, straggling 

 shrub belongs to Santalaceaj or sandalwood family above referred to, and our plant called 

 (rather improperly) Bastard Toadjla. The coraandra umbellata is included in this fiim- 

 ily. In Dr. Gray's Manual of Bolaiiy, second edition, (1856) on page 383, he says : "Root 

 forming parasitic attachments to the roots of trees (as shown by Mr. Stauffer), in a note 

 on the parasitism of comnndra timhelkUa nut, published in Silliman's Journal, volume 

 XVI, number 47, page 350, September, 1853. by Asa Gk.\y, M. D., will be found a refer- 

 ence to the specimens I sent to Dr. Gray from Mount Joy, Lancaster county. Pa., which 

 proved that our comandra was also parasitic, as well as the TItedum LiophyUum, pub- 

 lished by Mr. Wm. Mitten, an English botanist, in Hooker's London Journal of Botany, 

 (volume VI, page 146, plate 4). I also sent him specimens of Gerardia, more or less par- 

 asitic in their habits, and not before noticed. I simply mention this to show that I have 

 been observant as a botanist long prior to 1853, and that it further indicates the near 

 relationship between the two orders Santalace.e and Lor.^nthace^, the comandra 

 belonging to the first, and the mistletoe to the latter, as still closer allied in habit, 

 also. 



Everybody is familiar with the Giiscuta, or Dodder. There are nine species of cuscuta 

 described by Dr. Engelman, of the N. United States, infesting various plants. Their 

 appearance is that of long filiments, mostly of a yellow or reddish color, which twine 

 themselves around the branches of other plants, and become attached to them by means 

 of suckers, absorbing for their own use the nutritive fluid they contain. They then lose 

 all connection with the soil, and are solely supported by the life-blood of their bene- 

 factors. In this way they not unfrequently destroy whole crops of lucerne, thyme, clo- 

 ver and flax. Along streams I find them choking up the Lizard's tail Saururus Oeriiui, 

 so common-on the margin of ponds, witli their long, drooping spikes of white flowers. 

 These parasites spread with terrible rapidity, and are almost as much dreaded by the 

 husbandman as a flight of locusts. It is useless to provide them with the support of a 

 timber frame work or a dead free, or to place at their disposal any other plant than that 

 which they themselves select. They perish of inanition if they do not obtain their 

 accustomed food. 



The Orobanchacefe or Broom-rape Family are root parasites herbs, destitute of green 

 foliage, low, thick and flesliy plants, bearing scales in place of leaves, flowers solitary or 

 spiked ; the Epiphegus, beech drops or cancer root, conspholis, sqiuiwroot, thelipaea, broom- 

 rape, aphyllon, nah^. broo-m-rape ; but these are usually found in places remote from 

 culture. 



Various diseases and diseased conditions are due to the parasitical action of fungi ; as 

 dry-rot to the presence of Memlius Lacrymans, Polyporus Hybridus, Thdepliora, Puteana; 

 these render the wood brittle and destroy the cohesion. It sometimes commits serious 

 damage in ship timber and in damp, ill ventilated houses. Dark, damp situations are 

 favorable for an attatek of these fungi. Pic/diTig iimher in a solution of corrosive subli- 

 mate, coal tar, creosete, etc., have been used with beneficial results. The paper hangings 

 of rooms are occasionly over run by it in houses which have been long shut up and neg- 

 lected. The disease called mascodine, in silk worms, is caused by a fungus, BotrytU Gca- 

 siana; the mould on various, organic substances by PeniciUium Glaucum. The terrible 

 potato disease is supposed to be due to a minute fungus, called Botrytus Infestans. The 

 disease is by some referred to the genus Feotiosporsi. On the vine attacking the grape is 

 the Oidimn Tuckeri, the vine mildew infesting the grapes and plants in hot houses, a 

 naked-spored mould. Mr. Berkley, however, thinks that the oidium is an early stage of 

 some BrgsipJie. Sulphur is the only remedy which has, as yet been discovered. These 

 do not enter into the wood, but spread a net- work of fine filaments, which absorb its sue- 



