280 W. L. WATEKHOUSE. 



parts where they have. been planted for ornamental pur- 

 poses. Up to the present the aecidial stage of the rust 

 has not been found in this country, although repeated 

 attempts have been made to produce it. 



Cobb (5) states that the aecidial stage is unknown in 

 Australia. 



McAlpine (2) made numerous attempts to infect barberries 

 from rusted wheat straw. In 1892 and succeeding years 

 various means were adopted. In some cases, rusted straw 

 was scattered round the barberry plants or tied on to them. 

 In others, susceptible wheat was sown round barberries, 

 and after it had become severely rusted, was allowed to 

 die down on the spot. In yet other instances, "germinating 

 spores were applied directly to the leaves." McAlpine 

 states that "some plants were kept under bell-jars, others 

 were exposed, and all were attended to and watered freely. 



Not the slightest trace of any fungus appeared on 



any of the barberry leaves." He also forwarded rusted 

 wheat straw to Dr. C. B. Plowright in England to be there 

 tested on barberries. But in all cases the teleutospores 

 failed to germinate upon arrival in England. 



McAlpine concludes that as far as Australia is concerned, 

 "the rust apparently has no intermediate stage." This 

 has led most workers to consider that the teleutospore stage 

 is merely vestigial. For example Butler (6) states that the 

 aecidial stage has been completely lost in Australia. 

 Similarly Levine (7) says that the Australian rust has lost 

 the power of infecting the barberry. 



In South Africa and in Ecuador, it is reported that the 

 aecidial stage has similarly been lost. But in the light of 

 the results herein reported, further experimental work in 

 these countries would appear desirable. 



The form of stem rust which occurs in Australia has 

 been determined by Eriksson, (2) and other authorities as 



