And Mr. F. Norgato : “I am of opinion that tlio Lombardy 
ro 2 >Iar lias fewer insect enemies than the other Poplars, but that it 
is less hardy here, and unable to stand the last two severe 
winters.” 
Mr. E. J. Purdy of Aylsham Inrs, however, answered this 
(luestion by the suggestion of a siiocial cause, quite unexpected 
when the circular was drawn iqi. 
“ I have no doubt the cause was a fungoid growth on the leaves 
in the summer of 1880, a.s nearly all the trees killed lost their 
foliage in August of that year. The same Fungus attacks jjcar trees 
more or less every year.” :Mr. C. P. Plowright of Lynn could not 
give any information as to the name or the occurrence of this Fungus, 
nor had iMr. F. Florgato noticed it; and so late in the .season Mr. 
1 uuly, although ho kindly took some trouble about it, could not 
find any specimens for examination ; but it must be remembered 
that j\lr. Purdy’s statement agrees very exactly with Mr. llumfrey 
iMason’s observation already quoted, as to the loss of their foliage 
by the trees in August, 1880, and also Avith the following from Mr. 
Uu Port ; “ Many trees near ^lattishall had very jioor foliage in 
188U, and lost it very early.” 
A Fungus producing a similar loss of foliage in (jhestnut trees has 
occurred on the Continent, and is thus described : 
ihe disease of the (,hcstnut tree, which recently made its ajj- 
pearance in Itidy, spread la.st year [1880] with extraordinary rapidity. 
In Ligiuia, and cs^iecially in the ’province of Genoa, the trees were 
cvciywhcro attacked by it, almost entirely losing their leaves early 
in the summer, and in consequence failing to develope their fruit. 
A. Ihcconc has no hesitation in attributing the malady to the attacks 
of a parasitic fungus Sepforia castanece on the leaves, and also on 
the branches. Its extraordinary developement ho attributed to the 
oxtreme humidity of the jirevious summer.” 
Is it not possible that a similar Fungus may have existed in some 
localities on the Poplar trees, exciting comparatively but little 
attention, as there was in their case no valuable crop to be lost by its 
attacks. Ihis is, pcrha 2 i.s, the best place for noting not a special cause 
of damage, but a reason why the Lombardy Poplar should be specially 
liable to injury which has been thus explained by Dr. Lowe 
“ Tlie low temperature alone will not yield sufficient cause, for, if 
I mistake not, in 1800, with a loAvcr tcnqAoraturc, there was no such 
