296 
Journal of Agricultural Research 
Vol. VII, No. 6 
Massee (11) includes Blysmus compressus as a host of T. basicola, 
apparently on the basis of an early report (10) of MUowia nivea on 
decaying leaves of B. compressus. Unless this observation was corrobo¬ 
rated by later observation, the writer believes some doubt may be 
entertained in regard to this species as a host, on account of the point of 
attack and question of the identity of this fungus with T. basicola 
Zopf. The description and figures in Massee's first article bear only a 
slight resemblance to T. basicola . Unfortunately the writer has been 
unable to obtain this species of Blysmus for trial in these experiments. 
It is also interesting to note that certain species commonly cited as 
hosts of T. basicola are strikingly resistant or practically immune. 
Chittenden (4-5), Massee (n), and Taubenhaus (21) report T. basicola 
as a serious disease of sweet peas (Lathyrus odoraius ), though they differ 
in their opinions as to the symptoms of the disease. Infection of sweet 
peas in the writer's experiments was obtained only with great difficulty 
and then only slightly. According to Taubenhaus, the organisms causing 
this infection of sweet peas and tobacco are interchangeable and no 
physiological race difference exists in the fungus. It seems plausible, 
therefore, that more resistant varieties of L. odoraius were used in the 
present trials than were used by Chittenden and Taubenhaus. It may 
be, therefore, that the sweet-pea disease may be controlled by selection 
for disease resistance. Taubenhaus also mentioned obtaining a culture 
of T. basicola from parsnip, although he does not include it in his list of 
hosts. No infection could be obtained upon that vegetable in the 
present trials. 
Aderhold (1) failed to get infection on Begonia semperflorens y and it 
was only after repeated examinations that the writer found the fungus 
on this host and then only on nematode galls, as reported by Selby for 
Begonia rubra. Cochlearia armoracia , Cyclamen spp., Pisum sativum , 
Lupinus albuSy Catalpa speciosa , and certain species of orchids were 
found to be very difficult to infect. 
Plants upon which very slight infections were secured in one or two 
instances but are not included in the new list as hosts are Lycopersicon 
esculentum, Tropaeolum majus , Fagopyrum esculentum , and Solanum 
nigrum. 
As a result of these studies, it is concluded, therefore, that certain 
members of the following families of plants are likely to be attacked 
by Thielavia basicola under favorable conditions for the development 
of the fungus: Araliaceae, Bignoniaceae, Compositae, Convolvulaceae, 
Crucifereae, Cucurbitaceae, Hydrophyllaceae, Ueguminosae, Malvaceae, 
Orchidacae, Oxalidaceae, Papaveraceae, Polemoniaceae, Portulaceae, 
Primulaceae, Scrophulariaceae, Solanaceae, and Violaceae. 
The occurrence of T. basicola on the various hosts studied differed 
principally in two respects: (1) The point of attack by the fungus and 
(2) the character of the sporulation. The occurrence of T. basicola in 
