(ce BOTANICAL GAZETTE [FEBRUARY 
is a distinct change in treatment. Instead of taking the typical ecological regions, 
a representative plant from each region is made the basis of study. The plants 
used are cactus (xerophyte), bladderwort (hydrophyte), Salicornia (xerophytic 
hydrophyte), and dodder (a parasite). Such treatment doubtless has distinct 
advantages, since the beginning student organizes data much more readily around 
an individual than around such abstractions as hydrophytes, xerophytes, etc. 
Some may question whether this really gives an adequate presentation of the 
great ecological divisions, but probably the authors would answer that it is better 
to have beginners get a definite idea about a few representative plants, than a 
somewhat hazy idea about a number of plants and definite notions about none of 
them. When ecology was first introduced into courses of study, it was heralded 
by some as a means of breaking away from the regulation type study method, and 
it is especially interesting in this connection to see ecology adopting the type study 
as the best means of presenting its data to beginners. 
The exercises are fairly well written. Each begins with a definite statement 
of the purpose, and of the materials and apparatus needed for it. The directions 
for observation and study are very general, but in the hands of a good teacher . 
such directions will stimulate good habits of laboratory study; indeed it seems 
quite undesirable to attempt to arrange a manual that will not require the presence 
of a good teacher, since the personal contact of such a teacher is the most important 
factor in the course.—O. W. CALDWELL. 
MINOR NOTICES 
A new lilac disease. -KLEBAHN‘ has described briefly the more common fungi 
found on lilacs used for winter forcing in Europe. The greater part of the paper 
is devoted to a new disease caused by Phytophthora Syringae. The fungus 
infects the twigs of the lilac plants, killing them over a distance of several inter- 
nodes. Usually the upper internodes are killed, but often parts of the stems 
lower down are killed. The flower buds on the infected twigs do not develop, 
so that only leafy shoots are produced from lower uninjured buds. Since the 
value of a forcing lilac depends largely on the symmetry of the plants and the 
even distribution of the flowers, great loss is caused by the damage of a few twigs, 
especially since the injury is not detected until the plants are started into growth. 
It appears that the greater part of the infection occurs while the plants are 1m 
storage. After they are dug up in the fall, it is customary to heel them in in cold 
frames so that one side of the plants is in contact with the ground. Both observa- 
tion and experiment showed that it is through contact with the earth that the twigs 
become infected. 
A somewhat lengthy account is given of the characters and biological behavior 
of the fungus. In the lilac twigs and buds only oospores were found, which led 
to a former publication describing the fungus as Ploeophthora Syringae. In this 
4 KLeBAun, H., Krankheiten des Flieders. pp. 75. figs. 45. Berlin: Gebriider 
Borntraeger. 1909. 
