374 The Botanical Gazette. [September, 
Large vines in full vigor wilt suddenly, without apparent — 
cause. This is followed ina few days by the death of the — 
vine, but during this period there are no external indications 
of parasites, either above ground or below. The cortex is — 
turgid, free from spotting, and normal in color at the time — 
the leaves begin to wilt. , 
Constantly associated with the earliest stage is a fungus ap- 
parently undescribed and to which I have given the provis 
ional name, Fusarium niveum. It occurs in the ducts of the | 
stem, filling them more or less completely and interfering with — 
the movement of water from roots to foliage. The fungus 
was most abundant near the crown, but it was found in may — 
parts of the root system and in the vessels of the stem abund- 
antly as far as 0.5—1.5™ away from the roots. | 
This fungus gains entrance through the root system, and 
there are some indications that this infection takes place pri 
cipally within the first few weeks after planting. At that — 
time all the tissues are attacked, in hot wet weather damp 
ing off the seedlings as energetically as a Pythium. be ; 
the parenchyma becomes more resistant, and the peniie " 
takes itself to the bundles, and especially to the pe 
when the stem begins to shrivel it is again found : 
the parenchyma. 
Conidia are produced abundantly within t : 
vine and pure cultures have been made from ie Cant 
The most badly attacked fields observed in Sout ae 
were those heavily fertilized with barnyard pape me 
' from what is locally known as ‘‘watermelon hay, } ‘many 
grass, cut in autumn from melon fields, ince br 
blighted vines. This is composted and put back a a 
at time of planting. In my judgment a modifica et 
method of manuring, a judicious rotation of peek to esse 
prompt destruction of diseased vines would do muc : 
the prevalence of this disease. ne relation 
ATKINSON, GEO. F.: Preliminary note om ¢ : he complet? 
tween the sterile and fertile leaves of Onoclea.— a Onoclts 
differentiation between the fertile and sterile ets ata, whe 
senstbilis suggested that the so-called var. obtu ee ced by# 
is an intermediate state, could be artificially indu eaves 
putating the early vegetative leaves of this ee y uth, r 
were then cut from a patch of this fern oP ae a few lear? 
oth, and July 12th, respectively. On July 12 tae 
he vessels of the 
