182 



Mycologia 



These experiments tend to confirm the experiments of Arthur 

 (Mycol. 4: 21. 1912) with this species and add another telial 

 host, Care.v scoparia, as anticipated. 



Necium Farlowii Arth. 



' This rust was found to occur abundantly during the summer of 

 1910 on the leaves and twigs of a number of trees of Tsuga 

 canadensis that grew near Pictou. It was most common on trees 

 from ten to fifteen feet in height and practically all the twigs at 

 the top of the infected trees were killed by the fungus. The 

 rusted leaves soon fell away but the twigs remained during the 

 winter. Some of these twigs bearing telia were collected in the 

 fall and wintered. Collections were also made from the trees in 

 the spring, and both collections gave good germination in a moist 

 chamber in a few days. 



A sowing was made on Tsuga canadensis on June 5 and by the 

 14th the leaves began to turn yellow, indicating infection and telia 

 were present by the 21st. No pycnia were formed. Another 

 trial on June 11 gave telia by June 27 and a third on June 14 was 

 also successful, the telia being first noticed on June 27. Telia 

 began to form on the twigs a few days later than on the leaves. 



The infected twigs that remained on the trees in the field were 

 'observed germinating on June 14 after a day or two of showery 

 "weather. The germinating telia could be easily recognized on 

 'close examination as they became reddish in color and swollen 

 and velvety in appearance. Microscopic examination showed the 

 prornycelia to be rather large with spherical basidiospores 8-10 /a 

 in diameter, of a deep reddish color. The young leaves in the 

 vicinity of the germinating telia began to show infection by the 

 first of July and well developed telia were collected on July 5. 

 Infection of the twigs soon followed. The cones on the over- 

 hanging branches of a large hemlock also became infected, the 

 first collection being made on July 8. 



Arthur in North American Flora regards this species as 

 possessing telia only and possibly pycnia. These observations 

 and experiments confirm this view and indicate that pycnia are 

 absent. 



