90 
MYrOLOGTA 
A number of papers on the identity and relationships of the 
fungus causing the chestnut canker have recently appeared in 
Phytopathology and Science under the authorship of P. J. Ander- 
son and H. W. Anderson, Clinton, Farlow, Shear, and others. It 
is not necessary to give abstracts of these papers here, as they 
are readily available in the original. A brief foreign paper by 
Pantanelli, however, which has just appeared (Rend. Accad. 
Lincei 21 : 869-875. 1912), is important and interesting as hear- 
ing on the supposed European origin of the chestnut canker. 
After a careful comparison of the Italian and American species 
in question as to their morphological characters, cultural charac- 
ters, habitat, and parasitism, the author concludes that Diaporthe 
parasitica Murrill [Endothia parasitica (Alurr.) Anderson] is dis- 
tinct from Endothia radicalis (Schw.) Fries, and, moreover, can- 
not possibly he of European origin. 
Efforts to eradicate or check the chestnut canker are still in 
progress, and it is hoped that careful scientific experimentation 
with this disease will aid greatly in the control of less virulent 
fungous diseases of trees in the future. Air. Roy R. Pierce, of 
the Pennsylvania Chestnut Tree Blight Commission, has recently 
outlined a treatment for ornamental or cultivated chestnut trees 
that are only slightly affected. This consi.sts in carefully remov- 
ing the cankers to the depth of six annual rings of wood and 
painting the wounds with coal-tar containing creosote; then, in 
order to prevent further infection, spraying the entire tree very 
thoroughly with strong hordeaux mixture (4:5: 50). The merit 
of this treatment is that it is theoretically and scientifically “ cor- 
rect ” and that it comes as near to control as anything yet sug- 
gested. Speaking practically, however, trees covered continuously 
with copper sulfate and lime do not fit very well into a gorgeous 
landscape scheme, especially if they are liable to drop a limb or 
two every few months or to drop out entirely some time while the 
owner is asleep; and owners of chestnut orchards, who are pre- 
sumably commercially inclined, are not apt to continue very long 
a losing fight against a dreaded disease when other equally invit- 
ing and far safer fields are open to them. 
