1910] CURRENT LITERATURE 469 
diaceous fungus, Chrysophlyctis endobiotica Schilberszky. It has been known in 
Europe for a long time, but has not hitherto been reported as occurring in America. 
The present article gives a general description of the disease, with figures showing 
its character. The purpose of the paper is one of warning, to enable farmers in 
the Dominion to recognize the trouble and prevent its introduction and spread 
into Canada. 
Three fungous diseases of plants, not before reported, are briefly described by 
OSTERWALDER.'? He s that a disease of Levisticum officinale Koch., affecting 
the leaves and stems gn which it appears in the form of spots, is caused by a 
bacterium which is described as Pseudomonas Levistici. He was able to produce 
infections from pure cultures, but only in wounds. A disease of Calceolaria 
rugosa Hort., characterized by rotting of the stems at the ground, is ascribed to 
Phytophthora omnivora DeBary. Sclerotinia Libertiana Fuckel is described as 
attacking Omphalodes verna during wet weather.—H. HASSELBRING. 
Chemotaxy. —Axerman’’ studied the chemotactic responses of the sperms of 
Marchantia by the usual capillary tube method. They react strongly positively 
to the ions of potassium, rubidium, and caesium (agreeing with the behavior 
towards proteins as found by Lriprorss’?), and weakly to magnesium and 
ammonium. They are indifferent to sodium and calcium, and react negatively 
to the ions of hydrogen and zinc and to the bivalent ions of mercury, iron, and 
copper. In a potassium-free medium the tubes must contain at least 1/1000 
mol. KNO, in order to attract, while in a potassium-containing medium the tube 
must have 4o times the concentration of the potassium shown by the medium. 
The corresponding gradient for proteins is 20. No evidence of osmotaxy was 
found in the organism. ‘The tactic responses were greatly disturbed by gaseous 
impurities of the laboratory and by lack of oxygen. 
Kusano”? has published a full statement of his work in the chemotactic and 
related reactions of the swarmspores of Myxomycetes. It is characterized by 
excellence of experimentation, critical consideration, and clear statement of results. 
ethalium septicum, Stemonitis jusca, and Comantricha longa were the forms 
used. It was found that the activity and responses of the spores are not at all 
affected by a great decrease in oxygen, so the capillary method was used with a 
cover glass. All acids attract and bases repel; while neutral substances, if of 
moderate concentration and not highly toxic, act indifferently. Sodium hydrate 
17 OSTERWALDER, A., Unbekannte Krankheiten an Kulturpflanzen und deren 
Ursachen. Centralbl. Bakt. II. 25:260-270. 2.1 
18 AKERMAN, AKE, Ueber die Chemotaxis der Marchantia Spermatozoiden. 
Zeit. fiir Bot. 2:94-103. 1910. 
19 Liprorss, B., Ueber die Reizbewegungen der Marchantia Spermatozoiden. 
Jahrb. Wiss. Bo 41:65-87. 1905. 
2¢ Kusano, S., Studies on the chemotactic and other related reactions of the 
swarmspores of Myxomycetes. Jour. Coll. Agr. Imp. Univ. Tokyo 221-83. 1909. 
