JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



in Sea Island cotton have increased from the value of £475 in 1902 to 

 £7,674 in 1905-6.-71/. C. C. 



Cotton Wilt. By H. R. Fulton (U.S.A. Exp. Stn. Louisiana, 

 Bull. 96 ; September 1907 ; 3 plates). — Cotton wilt is due to the fungus 

 Neocosmospora vasinfccta (Atk.) Erw. Sm. The fungus lives in the soil 

 and gains access to the plant through the small roots ; the mycelium 

 grows upwards and soon fills the water-carrying ducts in the stem, 

 causing the leaves to wither and drop off and producing a discoloration 

 of the walls of the vessels, so that the wood appears brown. Injury 

 to the root by insects, &c, causes a more rapid spread of the disease. 

 The spores are of a pinkish colour, and are produced on the outer surface 

 of the dead cotton stalks, and may be spread by the wind, carrying 

 earth from the field on tools, &c, or even on the lint, &c. The fungus 

 attacks only okra in addition to cotton, and is a facultative saprophyte. 

 The methods of control are (1) the immediate destruction of affected 

 plants, (2) rotation of crops, (3) manuring with stable manure, (4) the 

 use of wilt-resistant varieties of cotton. The method of selection is 

 described.— F. J. C. 



Cranberry Diseases. By C. L. ^hear (U.S.A. Dep. Agr., Bur. 

 PI. Ind., Bull. 110; 10/07; 7 plates).— This bulletin gives the first 

 full account of the fungi attacking the American cranberry (Vaccinium 

 macrocarpum) and the diseases they produce. (See also Joukn. R.H.S., 

 xxxii. [1907], p. 257.) The losses annually arising from fungus diseases 

 amount to 10 per cent, of the annual value, and are estimated at 

 #200,000. The greatest loss occurs in the southern part of the area in 

 which the plant is cultivated. An account is given of previous investiga- 

 tions, and then each of the diseases is dealt with in detail. The disease 

 commonly known as "scald" includes "scald" (Guignardia vaccinii 

 Shear), "rot" (Acanthorhynchus vaccinii Shear), and " anthracnose " 

 (Glomcrclla rufomaculans vaccinii Shear). These and Exobasidium 

 oxycocci Rostr., which causes hypertrophy of the axillary buds, are the most 

 important diseases, but the following are also referred to : Synchytrium 

 vaccinii Thomas, attacking the leaf, young steins, flowers, and fruit ; 

 Pestalozzia gucpini vaccinii Shear, occurring on leaves and fruits ; 

 Ilelminthosporium inaequalis Shear, Gloeosporium minus Shear, Arach- 

 niotus trachyspermus Shear, Scptoria longispora Shear, Sphaeroncma 

 pomorum Shear, Phyllosticta putrcfacicns Shear, Penicillium glaucum 

 Link., and Leptothyrium pomi (Mont.) Sacc. '? occasionally found on 

 the fruits and sometimes on the leaves ; while the leaves and stems have 

 been attacked by Venturia compacta Peck., Sclerotinia oxycocci Wor. (?), 

 Discosia artocreas (Tode) Fr., Plagiorhabdus oxycocci Shear, Sporoncma 

 imlvinatum Shear, Rhabdospora oxycocci Shear, Leptothyrium oxycocci 

 Shear, Gcutospora (?) lunata Shear, Valsa dclicatula C. & E., Cladosporium 

 oxycocci Shear, Plcctrothrix globosa Shear, Chondrio derma simplex 

 Schroet., Epicoccum sp., Diplodia sp., Chaetomium sp., Oospora sp., 

 and Macrosporium sp. Field studies have shown beyond a doubt that 

 the physiological condition of the plants, as well as their environment, 

 has much to do with thoir susceptibility to disease, and it would appear 



