By Thomas Andrew Knight, Esq. 183 



advantage of cutting mildewed crops of wheat in an imma- 

 ture state. Further experience can, however, alone decide 

 these points : and the only inference I wish to draw from 

 the facts I have stated is, that the Lycoperdon cancellatum is 

 capable, under certain circumstances, of being transferred 

 from one plant to another in its vicinity, by means of its 

 seeds. 



I observed this disease, in the last summer, upon a few of 

 the leaves of several Pear trees in the vicinity of London ; 

 and I fear that the fungus which occasions it, is an imported 

 species, that is likely to increase in our climate, aud to be- 

 come, in some situations at least, extremely injurious to one 

 of the most valuable of our fruit trees. I have met with 

 several intelligent gardeners who, at first view, thought they 

 had observed this disease some years ago ; but on further 

 inspecting its habits and injurious effects, they have always 

 changed their opinion. 



The enormous injury which the crops of wheat sustained 

 in the year 1814 and other seasons, by mildew, attaches a 

 great degree of interest to the investigation of the habits of 

 parasitical plants of this tribe ; and the similarity of habits 

 of the mildew of wheat, and of the Lycoperdon cancellatum, 

 renders it probable that both are propagated in the same 

 manner. I therefore venture to hope that the foregoing 

 account, though very imperfect, of the apparent mode of 

 propagation of the latter plant, may be thought deserving 

 the attention of the Horticultural Society. 



