‘New York AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 259 
Sphaerella stage. . . . This experiment was repeated per- 
haps a dozen times always with the same result. The perithecia 
of the Sphaerella stage are darker and more carbonaceous than 
the pycnidia of the Ascochyta stage, so there was no danger in 
confusing the two. The fruit produced by this inoculation was | 
always examined and on one occasion the Sphaerella and As- 
cochyta stage were found in the same colony on the agar plate. 
In fact, at least, two of the Sphaerella perithecia were found.’’”? 
Smith’s article on the “ Leaf-spot on Cucurbits ” is closed with 
the following paragraph in small type: “ Sphaerella cucurbi- 
tacearum (Schw). This fungus has been described in Sac- 
cardo’s Sylloge under the genus Laestadia. At the close of his 
description he suggests in a doubtful manner that the spores 
are at length uniseptate. This I believe to be true and hence 
the species is a Sphaerella. This fungus seems to be much like 
one described by Fries as Sphaeria cucurbitacearum, but from 
his meagre description the identity is uncertain. I don’t think 
there is the least question, but that the perfect stage, or squash 
Sphaerella, is identical with Laestadia cucurbitacearum (Schw) 
and should be, named Sphaerella cucurbitacearum (Schw) 
although in my text I have been satisfied to call the fungus 
Sphaerella citrullina,’’** 
COMPARISON OF CHESTER’S AND SMITH’S WORK. 
Both Chester and Smith seem to give undue prominence to 
the leaf-spot Phyllosticta, though the fungus on the stem -is 
noted by Chester as forming “elongated dark patches” and 
Smith says it “forms a whitish area which is darkened with 
blackish specks, the pycnidia.” The Mycospherella-wilt fun- 
gus with its characteristic appearance and numerous fruiting 
bodies on the stem is given but secondary place by Smith and 
scarcely noticed at all by Chester. However, the latter’s view 
seems to have changed during the progress of his work as shown 
by his change of names, first calling it, “ Wilt of watermelon 
vines,” and then “ Anthracnose of the watermelon.” 
an te Cee 1, 0 
cell CRA aba UH 
