PLANT DISEASES. 
85 
dollars and cents of the recommendations made by the Department 
in the treatment of grape diseases. The facts reported by these 
men show conclusively that the actual profit to them over all 
expenses resulting from the treatment of black-rot and downy 
mildew was in round numbers 37,000 dollars. 
Thirteen thousand dollars of this sum was reported from the 
State of New York alone. 
Other examples equally as striking could be given, but this is 
sufficient for our purpose. Of course every one is not successful, 
but where failure is reported it is usually easy to locate and remedy 
the trouble. 
MODERN MYCOLOGY. 
By G. Massee. 
{Continued from p. 31). 
and the description of the species of North American Pyrenomy- 
cetes is attended with many difficulties, chief among which is the 
fact that many of the published diagnoses are too imperfect to 
enable one to recognize the species, of which many of the types 
are either lost or practically inaccessible. Coming to the species 
described by Berkeley and Curtis, the case is no better, but as 
far as specimens are concerned, even worse, the types being 
entirely beyond the reach of the ordinary student. The above 
quotation also touches on the type question ; most mycologists 
consider, that however complete a diagnosis may be the type 
specimen is of yet greater value ; there are some, however, whose 
localization forbids to a great extent the consultation of type 
specimens, and who consequently swear by diagnoses, and the 
general student is of necessity bound to depend on the latter, as a 
given type can only be located in one place, and consequently 
beyond the reach of many students. The more exact and perfect 
a specific diagnosis the less necessity for consulting the type 
specimen. 
In looking over the specimens in the Sew Herbarium it is not 
unusual to come across specimens from Montagne, Fries, Greville, 
Klotzsch, and others sent to Berkeley with a paragraph, of which 
the following is typical: — “ I believe this is new. I enclose descrip- 
tion of specimen. Kindly give me your opinion and criticism.” 
I don’t think many of us do this at the present time ; perhaps if 
we did we should have fewer and better species. When the 
present rush for individual glorification gives place to the genuine 
love for science entertained by the older mycologists, who really 
never cared a pin about priority in nomenclature, nor who never 
took the trouble to pose as martyrs for the purpose of obtaining 
their idea of justice for the pioneers of botany, then, and not 
before, we may hope for better work. 
