480 Insect, Fungus and other Pests. [nov., 



for examination were pea weevil (Leaflet No. 19), on peas 

 from Riston (Berwickshire) ; celery fly (Leaflet No. 35), from 

 Romsey and Ventnor ; frit fly (see Journal, August, 1907) , 

 on oats from Kettering ; aphides, on larch, spruce and pines 

 from Stamford, Penicuik (Mid-Lothian), Oakham, Marlow, 

 and Ross (Herefordshire) ; woolly aphis (Leaflet No. 34), on 

 apple from Marlow, Warminster, Amersham, Glasgow and 

 Ross ; aphides on currants (Leaflet No. 68), from Marlow 

 and Worcester ; on plums, from Riston (Berwickshire) ; and 

 on turnips from Rugeley ; and lecanium scale (see Journal, 

 June, 1907, p. 162) on currant bushes, from Amersham. 



Fungi. — As usual, the number of specimens attacked by 

 fungi covered a wide selection of fruit trees and farm and garden 

 crops. 



Diseased Wheat. — Specimens of wheat from Wellingborough 

 were infested by the fungus Helminthosporium gramineum, 

 Rabh., which causes " blindness " in barley, oats, wheat and 

 some wild grasses. A short note on this disease was given on 

 p. 416 of this Journal for last month, while an article on the 

 subject appeared in Vol. xii, p. 347, September, 1905. It 

 may be remaked here that lucerne and similar crops are not 

 attacked by this fungus, and could not be in any way responsible 

 for the diseased wheat. 



Diseased Black Currants. — Black currant leaves from West- 

 bury (Wilts) were covered with the teleutospores or winter 

 spores of Cronartium ribicola, Deitr. The aecidium condition 

 of the fungus occurs as a destructive parasite on branches 

 of the Weymouth pine (Pinus strobus, L.), while it also attacks 

 Pinus lambertiana, Dough, P. cembra, L., and P. monticola, 

 Dougl. The stage growing on conifers was at one time con- 

 sidered a distinct species and was known as Peridermium 

 strobi, Kleb. 



The teleutospore and uredospore stages also occur on leaves 

 of red currant, gooseberry, Ribes aureum and R. irrigum. 

 There is a difference of opinion as to whether the teleutospore 

 stage can perpetuate itself on currant leaves without the 

 intervention of the aecidium condition. 



The fungus is rare in this country, but the injury it does to 

 conifers on the Continent is of considerable economic import- 

 ance. C. ribicola has recently been recorded on red currant 



