Journal of Agricultural Research 
Vol. XXVIII, No. 11 
1122 
winter of 1919-20, the authors observed that a number of collections of telio- 
spores of the leaf rust of wheat were germinable in early December and continued 
to germinate until spring in a manner similar to those of P. disperse/,. The dis¬ 
tinction between these species on the basis of difference in time of germination 
of their teliospores therefore is not as sharp as it first appeared. 
Klebahn (7) has shown that teliospores which usually are known to germinate 
only after the close of the winter season may be made to germinate by alternate 
drying and wetting. Recently, Maneval (8) also has shown for a number of 
such rusts that the teliospores will germinate if alternately wet and dried or 
soaked long enough. However, it probably is true that the teliospores of P. 
triticina generally germinate only after hibernation while those of P. dispersa 
usually are capable of germinating in the fall of the same year in which they 
are formed. However, they may retain this ability throughout the winter. 
Varying climatic conditions in different years, however, may tend to level such 
a distinction. 
INFECTION OF ANCHUSA 
The above collections, on being found germinable, were sown on potted plants 
of Anchusa officinalis grown in the greenhouse from seed obtained from Prof. 
Ed. Fisher of Berne, Switzerland. Of the 15 collections germinating only 5, 
however, produced infection. Of these 5, only 2 produced both pycnia and 
aecia, while the other 3 developed pycnia only. Aeciospores from the 2 plants 
showing aecia were sown on seedling plants of Rosen rye, producing uredinia 
typical of Puccinia dispersa. The 5 collections which gave infection were ob¬ 
tained from Mt. Vernon, Ind., Madison, Wis., Manhattan, Kans., Kearney, 
Nebr., and Seattle, Wash. These were the same collections which still showed 
germinating teliospores on April 7. Each of these collections, however, was 
sown a number of times without obtaining infection. This was especially true 
during the fall and winter, most of the infections being obtained in the spring, 
as happened in both instances of aecial production. Apparently the reason for 
this was the condition of the Anchusa plants, for they developed little new growth 
in the greenhouse during the fall and winter, and many of the older leaves died. 
With the advent of spring, new growth took place and more abundant infection 
resulted. In consequence, no very definite conclusions can be drawn from the 
negative results obtained from the other 10 collections as they germinated only 
at times when the Anchusa plants were in poor condition. It is evident, however, 
that the teliospores of P. dispersa which overwintered were able to infect An¬ 
chusa, thus establishing their identity with the species Puccinia dispersa as 
distinguished by Eriksson. But for this fact, the overwintering of the teliospores 
in the absence of infection of Anchusa would have indicated the possibility of 
their having belonged to another race or species of leaf rust on rye. By the 
close of winter, such a small amount of material was left that no attempt was 
made to inoculate plants of Anchusa in the field. 
Although infection was not obtained to any extent in the greenhouse in the 
fall, mulching of Anchusa plants in the field, where they were in good growing 
condition, resulted in abundant production of aecia. On August 12, 1922, rye 
straw from the Agronomy plats, heavily covered wdth telia of the leaf rust of rye, 
was used to mulch vigorously growing plants of Anchusa officinalis . The summer 
of 1922 was very dry and no rain fell until August 23. On August 31, numerous 
yellowish spots containing pycnia were noted scattered over the leaves, petioles, 
and young flower parts. Aecia appeared in these areas in considerable abundance 
in about a week (PI. 1, A). Again, on September 22, shortly following a rain, 
new infected areas containing pycnia were found scattered over the plants. Aecia 
also followed in these areas. With the fall rains, infection was more or less 
