CONTENTS 



LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 5 



INTRODUCTION AND HISTORY 7 



THE HOST 13 



THE PATHOGEN 14 



THE DISEASE 16 



THE NEEDLE CAST DISEASE IN CENTRAL NEW YORK 21 



Development of symptoms 21 



Maturation of apothecia 23 



Needle casting 24 



Sporulation 27 



Infection 37 



Rate of spread 40 



Lammas growth 42 



HISTOPATHOLOGICAL STUDIES 45 



Normal needle anatomy 45 



Diseased needle anatomy 46 



CONTROL STUDIES 51 



SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS 58 



LITERATURE CITED 61 



4 



