DISEASES INJURIOUS TO FORAGE CROPS. 43 
DISEASES INJURIOUS TO FORAGE CROPS. 
All of the more important diseases of forage plants observed were 
caused by various species of smuts. This class of parasitic fungi 
injures more than one would suppose the devetopment of native eco- 
nomic plants. While this is true, so little is known of the life history 
of these species that no suggestion can be made regarding their control 
further than to state that the spread of those species which attack hay 
plants could probably be checked by careful mowing and the removal 
of hay from affected fields before the grasses head out. The acreages 
are so large and the returns from them so small, however, that it is 
doubtful whether any method which would be successful would be 
financially justifiable. 
Ustilago hypodites.—In portions of the Great Basin, as well as in the 
Okanogan region in Washington, a very large amount of damage is 
done by this smut. It attacks both giant rye grass and salt grass, 
transforming the undeveloped portions of the plants within the upper 
leaf sheaths into a black powdery mass. It was especially destructive 
in the Quinn River and Alvord regions in Nevada and Oregon last 
year, and again this year in Surprise Valley, California, and at Love- 
lock, Nev., on both hosts. 
Ustilago scolochloa.—This smut attacks the valuable sprangle top 
(Scolochloa festucacea). Its black, sooty speres break through the 
epidermis on the upper side of the leaves, stunt the growth of all the 
leaves, prevent the upper ones from opening, and entirely destroy the 
seed. At the ‘‘sod house” on the lower course of the Dunder and 
Blitzen River some meadows, in which one-half to two-thirds of the 
vegetation consisted of this grass, had fully one-half of the plants 
smutted. 
Tilletia fusca.—The hosts of this smut, the slender fescues (/és- 
tuca octoflora and F. microstachya), are annual plants, depending 
entirely upon seed for their reproduction. The fungus in this case 
transforms the seed into a black horn-like structure, filled with a com- 
pact black mass of spores, entirely destroying it in practically the 
same manner as the bunt destroys the kernel of wheat. Nothing short 
of the excellent seed habits possessed by these grasses would enable 
them to thrive at all, for there are many localities in eastern Wash- 
ington where upward of three-fourths of the plants had all their seed 
destroyed. Reference is especially made to the region about 25 miles 
north of Prosser, where the above statement would be no exaggera- 
tion. At the same time another species of smut ( Ust¢lago mulfordina) 
did some injury also. 
Ustilago bromivora.—The seed production of the valuable short- 
awned brome grass (Bronus marginatus), as well as that of the closely 
related cheat, is very materially reduced by this smut. The injury to 
