LESS IMPORTANT DISEASES. 45 



to be of great economic importance. Their future behavior can not 

 be foreseen, however, and they may bear some direct relation to each 

 other or to the other parasites which may prove important. 



Venturia compacta Peck. 54 This fungus has been before reported 

 upon the cranberry by Professor Peck, who found it in New York. 

 It has also been collected, according to Ellis, in Maine, and by 

 Halsted in northern New Jersey. We have found it on cranberry 

 leaves from Nova Scotia, and also from Massachusetts, New Jersey, 

 and Wisconsin. Fusicladium has been demonstrated to be the conidial 

 stage of certain species of Venturia, but no such conidial form has 

 been found in connection with this species. Cladosporium oxycocci 

 Shear has been found associated with it, but nothing is known as to 

 the relation between the two forms. 



This fungus shows considerable variability, especially in the group- 

 ing of the perithecia and the production of spines, the size and shape 

 of the asci, the presence or absence of paraphyses, and the arrange- 

 ment of the spores. The perithecia are usually aggregated in rather 

 dense clusters, but are occasionally solitary (PL IV, fig. 1). The 

 spines may be few and arranged about the ostiole or more numerous 

 and scattered over the upper half of the perithecium (PI. IV, figs. 

 3 and 5). They vary in size from 30 to 60 by 6 /x. The asci are 

 usually swollen at the lower end (PI. IV, fig. 6), but are frequently 

 cylindrical (PI. IV, fig. 4). They vary in size from 48 to 66 by 

 9 to 12 ju,. The spores are very constant in size and shape, measuring 

 14 to 18 by 4 to 6 //,. It was at .first thought that the extreme forms 

 might be separate species, but a study of more material shows all 

 sorts of intermediate conditions. Schweinitz 57 has reported Venturia 

 cincinnata Fr. on Vaccinium macrocarpum from Pennsylvania. An 

 examination of Schweinitz's specimen indicates that jt is Venturia 

 compacta Pk. Fries's 58 species was found on Vaccinium oxycoccus, 

 and so far as the description goes scarcely differs from our plant, 

 except that the perithecia are said to be solitary. We have been 

 unable to find a specimen of Fries's species in his herbarium, and it 

 is perhaps doubtful whether the two species are the same. It seems 

 rather probable, however, that such is the case. 



This fungus seems to be comparatively rare except in Massachu- 

 setts, and though a parasite it evidently does little damage. It is 

 not known to attack anything but the leaves. However, from the 

 habits of its near relatives, which cause the serious scab diseases of 

 other fruits, it may perhaps sometimes attack the fruit of the 

 cranberry. 



Sclerotinia oxycocci Wor? 9 The Monilia form of a fungus closely 

 resembling this was found upon the young leaves and tips of cran- 

 berry plants sent from Wisconsin in July, 1905. This fungus has 

 no 



