202 Report oF THE BOTANIST OF THE 
upward so rapidly that the whole cane is discolored and perme- 
ated by the fungus hyphe throughout its entire length soon after ~ 
the leaves are wilted. In the pith of such specimens the hyphe 
are especially conspicuous. 
In the currant cane the hyphe are white or dirty white, but on 
bean stem cultures they soon become smoke colored or even 
black. No spores or other indications of fructification have been 
- observed and nothing is known of the manner in which, the 
fungus is disseminated. It occurs upon both red and white 
currants, Ribes rubrum, and has also been observed in one case 
upon the black currant, R. nigrum. 
The diseased canes should be cut out and burned. In doing 
this care should be taken to cut well below the lowest point of 
the disease; otherwise the labor is wasted. Also, the pruning 
knife should be frequently dipped into some disinfecting solution; 
for example, a 5 per ct. solution of carboliec acid. If this is not 
done pruning may serve to spread the disease instead of check- 
ing’ it. 
It is hoped that a thorough study of this disease may be made 
in the near future. 
DEWBERRY DISEASES. 
There are probably other commercial plantations of dewberries 
in the Hudson Valley, but we have made observations upon one 
only, which was located at Highland in Ulster County. The 
plants were of the variety Lucretia. They were trained up to 
stakes, several canes to each stake. During the previous winter 
they had been allowed to lie upon the ground. In the spring 
they put out leaves normally, but later a good many of them 
died. Some were just commencing to wilt at the time of our 
observations (June 21). It was rare to find all of the canes in 
a hill dead. Usually, from one to four of the canes were dead 
and the rest apparently healthy. As a rule the affected canes 
were green and healthy for a few inches above the soil; then there 
came a blackened (but not constricted) portion a few inches long, 
which seemed to be the seat of the trouble. No fungus was 
