230 REPORT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF BOTANY OF THE 
In Europe,™® the nematode, Tylenchus devastatrix Kiihn, attacks 
alfalfa stems causing a disease which the Germans call “ Stock- 
krankheit.” It is not known to occur in America. 
Other animals reported troublesome in alfalfa fields are the wood- 
chuck, prairie dog, pocket gopher4® and ground squirrel.!?° 
Only the first mentioned of these is found in New York. 
LIGHTNING. 
Sitensky™! cites an instance in which a bolt of lightning killed 
alfalfa plants over a circular area five meters (about sixteen feet) 
in diameter. 
SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION. 
It appears to be an established fact that alfalfa hay stored in stacks 
and barns may become so hot as to take fire through spontaneous com- 
bustion. ‘Several examples are given by Cottrell’?* who states that 
all of the cases coming under his observation occurred with hay 
from the first cutting. Doubtless spontaneous combustion of al- 
falfa occurs in New York, but no clear case of it has come to our 
attention. 
SAPROPHYITC HUNG “ON ALP ALE 
Our studies on the saprophytic fungi have been too fragmentary 
to enable us to give anything like a complete list of the species oc- 
curring on alfalfain New York. Only a few species have been given 
more than passing attention. However, it is desirable to have before 
us a list of the fungi saprophytic on alfalfa. Upon further investiga- 
tion some of the species now classed as saprophytes may prove to 
be parasites or, perhaps, genetically related to parasitic species. Ac- 
cordingly, the following list of alfalfa saprophytes is appended. It 
is compiled mainly from Saccardo’s Sylloge Fungorum. The 
species starred have been observed in New York by the writers. 
* Alternaria sp. On stems. 
* Coniothyrium sp. On stems and stipules. 
* Dendrodochium sp. On stems and roots, (See page 221). 
he eranic MoO. 3"2G)) 
WF in eta 12 ego) « 
“. Cottrell Cig; ip. 78); Coburh iUis- pete); 
Scheffer (80, p. 124); Headlee (42). 
et Hiliatt' (27, spate 
*1 Sitensky (95). 
- Lottrell i 18) MGI gape ae 
