204 
IOWA ACADEMY OP SCIENCES. 
Ustilago Rabenliorstiana Ktlhn. On Panicum sanguinale was 
extremely common everywhere during the latter part of Sep- 
tember and early October. Solid blocks of diseased plants 
were found. Mr. Combs collected a peculiar form in which only 
a part of the infioresence was involved. Thus far I had only 
observed such forms in which the whole infioresence was 
involved and the masses covered over with a white membrane.’ 
Ustilago maydis (D. C.), Corda. Corn smut has been unusu- 
ally severe in many parts of the state this year. Numerous 
complaints were made showing the devastation and destructive 
nature of this fungus throughout the state. I have seen it 
especially abundant here at Ames, Onawa, Turin and Mason 
City and it is reported as common at Des Moines, Bedford and 
elsewhere. 
Ustilago neglecta Neissl. On Setaria glauca. We have had 
an unusual amount of this fungus again. 
Sorosporium syntlierismce (Schw.), Farlow=N. elUsii Winter. 
Dr. Farlow writes me that the smut on Panicum sanguinale and 
P. capillare after a careful examination from wide range is a 
Sorosporium, and that it is the original Gceoma syntlierismm of 
Schweinitz. On Cenclirus tribuloides it was very abundant in 
the western part of the state and also at Ames. As a rule the 
whole infioresence is involved as in the form on twitch grass, 
but this year I found in the western part of the state an abund- 
ance of smut on the sandbur in which some of the spikelets only 
produced long horns which gave the plants a very striking 
appearance. The same fungus on Panicum capillare was not so 
abundant. 
From all these observations it certainly appears that dry 
weather is not conducive to the checking of smut. F. Lamson, 
Scribner and Seymour state that in Illinois and Texas they have 
seen much corn smut during dry seasons. 
EXOASCE^. 
The Exoascece on the whole were not so abundant this year. 
I could not find any of the Exoascus aurea which in 1892 was 
very abundant on several species of Populus. The Exoascus 
deformans (Berk), (Fuckel), so abundant on peach in 1892, could 
not be found. The Exoasci on various cultivated plums in this 
state were Exoascus mirahilis Atkinson* on Prunus angustifolia, 
Chickasaw county, Exoascus communis Sadebeck on Prunus 
^Cornell University Experiment Station Bulletin No. 73, p. 334. 
