370 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY, 



Asters, "Black Neck" or Wilt Disease of. By W. Robinson (Ann. Appl. 

 Biol, ii., July 1915, pp. 125-137 ; plates). — This disease, characterized by 

 the sudden death and wilting of the plants, is too well known. It has been 

 attributed to a variety of causes, especially to the attack of a httle white worm 

 (Enchytraeits parvulus), and to species of Fusarium (including F. incamahim) . 

 The author finds, however, a Phytophthora (unnamed) always associated with 

 the disease and capable of producing it when inoculated into seedling and mature 

 plants, the lesions produced being in every way similar to those seen in infected 

 plants in the garden. The characters of the fungus are somewhat peculiar, and 

 will be found in detail in the paper. The " aster " referred to is, of course, the 

 German or China Aster (Callistephus hortensis). — F. J. C. 



Bambusa polymorpha (Rev. Hort. Feb. 16, 1915, p. 386). — Ail specimens of 

 this species flowered simultaneously in 191 4 after a non-flowering period of fifty- 

 four years, which appears to be the usual term of barrenness. During the season 

 prior to flowering no offsets are made, and when a specimen flowers prematurely 

 no seed is produced. — C. T. D. 



Beet Rust (Quelques Etudes sur la Maladie de la Rouilie des Betteraves). 



By Dr. J. Eriksson (Rev. Gen. de Bot., xxv. 1914, . p. 247; figs.). — An ac- 

 count of this disease, due to the fungus Uromyces Betae, is given, and the author 

 considers that it is carried over winter by resting mycelium present at the apex 

 of the root, and from generation to generation by " mycoplasm " in the seed. 

 The elimination of infected seed should therefore do much to reduce the amount 

 of beet rust. The author recommends that seed-beets should be grown away 

 from districts in which the beet crop itself is cultivated. The attack of the 

 fungus appears to lead to a reduced sugar content of the roots. — F. J. C. 



Beetle, June (Lachno sterna spp.), A Bacterial Disease of. By L. Northrup 



(U.S.A. Agr. Exp. Stn., Michigan, Tech. Bull. 18, June 1914, pp. 1-37; 

 22 figs.). — The larvae of the June Beetle (Lachnosterna spp.) cause much 

 damage to crops and grassland. Like the Cockchafers, their life-history 

 extends over three years, but during the second and third years the larvae cause 

 the greatest loss to crops. Their numbers are controlled to some extent by 

 natural enemies — birds and mammals, various parasitic insects and fungi. 

 Recently, however, attempts have been made to discover some micro-organism 

 which could be utilized as a remedial measure against these destructive insects. 

 The paper describes various experiments with a micrococcus which was found in 

 diseased larvae, and which occurs normally in many soils in Michigan and other 

 States. This micrococcus has been successfully cultivated on various gelatine 

 and agar media, and was found to be pathogenic to the larvae of the June 

 Beetle and the Cockroach (Periplaneta americana). It can retain its pathogenic 

 potency for over one year under artificial cultivation. It is suggested that the 

 micrococcus may be of considerable value in controlling other insect larvae in the 

 soil, and in Porto Rico experiments are being inaugurated with a view to test 

 this suggestion, in connexion with the sugar-cane industry. 



There is appended a short bibliography to the literature on this subject. 



A. B. 



Begonia Perrieri. By D. Bois (Rev. Hort. June 16, 1915, pp. 500-2; 

 2 ill.). — A new introduction from Madagascar with decorative foliage. Tender. 



C. T. D. 



Big Bud Mite, Experiments on. By A. H. Lees (Ann. Rep. Agr. Res. 

 Stn., Long Ashton, 1914, pp. 77-80). — The search for a sticky spray fluid (boiled 

 oil and vaseline), while giving a reduced amount of infection in the following 

 year, was not regarded as entirely satisfactory. Paraffin emulsion applied at 

 the time of the opening of the buds, and of such a concentration that the soft 

 soap was only sufficient to maintain the emulsion sufficiently long to permit 

 the spraying to be accomplished, penetrated the bud and caused the death of a 

 large proportion of the mites, up to 100 per cent. ("4 per cent, soft soap and 

 10 per cent, of paraffin were found necessary with the hard water available.) 



F. J. C. 



Birds as Carriers of the Chestnut Blight Fungus. By F. H. Heald and 



R. A. Studhalter (Jour. Agr. Res. ii. Sept. 1914, pp. 405-422). — The authors 

 found many spores of the chestnut blight fungus (Endothia parasitica) on the 

 feet and bills of birds frequenting the diseased trees. They consider birds 

 important factors in the dissemination of the spores of fungi. — F. J. C. 



