Seasonal Notes. Jtily 



1 1 1 



tion on glands at their tips which attracts insects. An insect 

 alighting upon a leaf is detained by the sticky fluid, the 

 tentacles in the meantime bend over and envelop the victim. 

 The fluid dissolves and digests the nutrient parts of the 

 insect. The glands afterwards dry, the tentacles unclasp, and 

 the indigestible parts of the insect are blown away by the 

 wind. Secretion then recommences, and the plant is ready 

 for another meal. The usual cause of death of these plants, 

 when kept in vivaria, is overfeeding. 



Several of our readers have sent us for identification speci- 

 mens of the "peach-leaf curl." It is, as we noted last month, 

 caused by a fungus known as Exoascus deformans. The leaves 

 become much thickened and distorted, and reddish in colour. 

 This disease, which has been known in Great Britain for a 

 great many years (it was accurately described under the term 

 " blight" by a gardener in 1821), is steadily gaining ground, 

 and is very abundant in the South of England this year. 

 Spraying does not always get rid of it, as the mycelium may 

 enter the branch, in which it spends the winter. It never 

 grows backwards, but always extends forward in the direction 

 of growth ; hence, if all branches bearing diseased leaves are 

 cut off at about two inches behind the lowest infected leaf, 

 the fungus will be got rid of. All infected parts should be 

 burned. 



Many rust fungi (Uredines) may now be observed on the 

 leaves and stems of plants. Very common species are — 



(1) Phragmidium snbcorticatum on leaves of the Dog Rose 

 {Rosa canina), forming bright orange spots on the upper sur- 

 face of the leaves, the corresponding spot on the lower surface 

 being light brown with darker masses of the teleuto spores. 



(2) Phragmidium bulbosum, causing red spots on the upper 

 surface of bramble leaves, the clusters of dark spores may be 

 seen on the lower surface of the leaves. 



The circular purplish spots on the leaves of the Dogwood 

 (Cornus sanguinea) are induced by the fungus Phyllosticta 

 cornicola. 



