Skip to main content

Full text of "Fungoid diseases of farm and garden crops"

See other formats


733 

.  M48 


mwmMmimmtKimttmmmfMm'ammmmviutw'i'tiwnjmfrwf^/nmatmiammminmtii^rmumit^mmif^nmmuniniw^mii  tmnma^tjimmu 


rui 


"> 


OF 


FARM  AND  GARDEN  Cf 


Bi': 


,S  MI  LB  URN 


ini 

.                         ,!i 

ftmmmmmmmmmm 


iiM*iiiiiiiiii)il«tlilWWi>>>wgoowMijyp««>»<BWii»^ 


Ai 


n— 


site 


:'Viriwn 


Tn 


«VMfL:    LIBRARY 
^  ^.  O^QARA 


.N 


FUNGOID   DISEASES 

OF 

FARM   AND    GARDEN    CROPS 


FUNGOID  DISEASES 

OF 

FARM  AND  GARDEN  CROPS 


BY 

THOMAS  MILBURN,  Ph.D.,  N.D.A.,  N.D.D. 

/  -» / 

SECRETARY    OF    AGRICULTfRK,    LANCASHIRE    COLNTV    COUNCM.,    AND    EECTUREK    IN    AfJRICLI.TLKE, 

LANCASHIRE   COUNTY   COUNCIL  AGRICULTURAL   SCHOOL,    HARRIS    INSTITUTE, 

PRESTON;    LATE    LECTURER  ON    PLANT    DISEASES   AT   THE 

MIDLAND   AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE, 

KINGSTON,    DERBY 

WITH  A  PREFATORY  NOTE  BY 

E.  A.  BESSEY,  M.A.,  Ph.D. 

PROFESSOR   OF    BOTANY,    MICHIGAN    AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE,    EAST   LANSING  ;     LATE    PATHOLOGIST 

IN   CHARGE   OF    UNITED    STATES   DEPARTMENT  OF   AGRICULTURE'S   SUBTROPICAL 

LABORATORY    FOR   PLANT    DISEASES   AT    MIAMI,    FLORIDA;    FORMERLY 

PATHOLOGIST    IN   THE    BUREAU    OF    PLANT    INDUSTRY, 

UNITED  STATES  DEPARTMENT  OF  ACJRICULTURE, 

WASHINGTON 


WITH  DIAGRAMS 


LONGMANS,    GREEN    AND    CO. 
39    PATERNOSTER    ROW,    LONDON 

FOURTH  AVENUE  &  30tii  STREET,  NEW  YORK 
BOMBAY,    CALCUTTA,    AND    MADRAS 

I915 


S3  7  33 


PREFATORY  NOTE. 

By  E.  a.  BESSEY,  M.A.,  Ph.D. 

That  crops  are  subject  to  diseases  of  various 
kinds,  has  been  known  for  thousands  of  years. 
In  the  Bible  we  find  reference  to  mildews  and 
blasted  crops,  while  among  the  Roman  writers 
a  number  of  different  diseases  were  recognized. 
As  early  as  the  middle  of  the  eighteenth  century, 
considerable  study  had  been  made  of  some  of 
the  fungi  which  caused  plant  diseases,  but  even  as 
late  as  the  third  and  fourth  decade  of  the  nine- 
teenth century,  there  were  some  scientific  agri- 
culturists who  insisted  that  the  spots  and  dis- 
colorations  caused  by  fungi,  or  the  spore  masses  of 
these  fungi,  were  but  parts  of  the  plant  itself,  while 
even  to  the  present  day,  some  persons  regard  such; 
epidemics  as  punishment  or  warnings  sent  by  the: 
Almighty  to  a  sinful  people.  The  brilliant  re- 
searches, however,  of  the  great  British  and  Ger- 
man mycologists  of  the  middle  of  the  nineteenth 

V 


vi  PREFATORY  NOTE 

century  for  ever  dispelled  these  views  among  en- 
lightened scientists  and  gave  the  first  impetus 
toward  the  study  of  plant  diseases  from  a  rational 
standpoint.  We  now  know  that  aside  from  the 
injuries  caused  by  insects  or  other  animals,  nearly 
every  cultivated  plant  is  subject  to  attack  by 
few  or  many  parasitic  fungi  or  bacteria.  In 
addition  to  these  diseases  and  to  those  caused  by 
unfavourable  climatic  or  soil  conditions,  there  are 
also  some  diseases,  well  marked  in  their  character 
and  so  far  as  we  can  determine,  absolutely  non- 
parasitic in  origin,  the  cause  of  which  appears  to 
be  spontaneous  to  the  plant.  Such  diseases  offer 
a  fine  field  for  investigation  by  the  thoroughly 
trained  student. 

As  the  causes  of  plant  diseases  became  known, 
attempts  were  made  to  develop  rational  methods 
of  combating  them.  Thus  the  mycologists  were 
succeeded  by  the  plant  pathologists  who  attempted 
to  determine  not  only  the  cause  of  each  disease, 
but  the  conditions  favourable  and  unfavourable 
to  its  development.  In  the  case  of  diseases  caused 
by  parasitic  organisms,  it  became  necessary  to 
follow  out  in  detail  every  step  of  the  life  history 
of  these  organisms  in  their  relation  to  their  hosts, 


PREFATORY  NOTE  vii 

so  that  their  methods  of  entry  and  their  vuhier- 
able  periods  could  become  known.  The  develop- 
ment of  fungicides,  especially  Bordeaux  mixture, 
was  a  natural  result  of  the  realization  that  fungi 
are  the  causes  of  most  plant  diseases.  The  newest 
researches  now  attempt  to  correlate  what  Is  known 
of  the  life  history  of  the  parasite  and  of  its  manner 
of  entering  the  host  with  the  facts  learned  as  to 
the  relation  of  the  weather  to  Infection,  and  to 
plan  the  application  of  fungicides  accordingly. 
Another  line  of  research  Is  the  development  of 
the  resistant  types  of  crops,  but  this  is  for  the 
plant  breeder,  primarily. 

In  the  present  book,  the  author  attempts  to 
present.  In  a  form  capable  of  being  understood 
both  by  students  and  by  agriculturists,  a  brief 
discussion  of  each  of  the  more  important  diseases 
of  the  common  field  and  garden  crops.  Of 
necessity  such  a  book  cannot  be  complete  as  to 
all  diseases  known  on  all  crops.  Indeed,  such  a 
work  would  be  undesirable  and  so  bulky  as  to 
be  almost  useless.  The  author  has  approached 
the  subject  with  a  practical  understanding  of  what 
is  wanted  in  such  a  book  by  the  agriculturist 
who  frequently  lacks  the  technical   knowledge    to 


viii  PREFATORY  NOTE 

understand  some  of  the  more  pretentious  tech- 
nical works  on  the  subject.  On  the  other  hand^ 
he  has  not  sacrificed  scientific  accuracy  in  his 
attempt  to  make  the  book  one  that  can  be  under- 
stood. It  is,  then,  a  book  to  become  acquainted 
with  which  wull  well  repay  the  student  who  wishes 
to  learn  something  of  the  commoner  diseases  of 
these  crops. 

The  writer  of  this  preface  has  had  the  pleasure 
of  reading  the  whole  manuscript  and  of  making 
suggestions  and  comments,  many  of  which  have 
commended  themselves  to  the  author  and  have 
been  adopted  by  him.  If  these  suggestions  and 
additions  may  serve  to  make  this  book  more 
valuable,  the  writer  of  this  preface  feels  that  he 
has  been  amply  rewarded. 

E.  A.   BESSEY. 

Michigan  Agricultural  College, 

East  Lansing, 

Michigan,  U.S.A. 


AUTHOR'S  PREFACE. 

This  Introduction  to  the  study  of  Plant  Diseases 
has  been  compiled  primarily  for  the  use  of  Farmers, 
Gardeners,  and  Agricultural  Students,  but  it  is 
hoped  that  it  may  have  a  wider  field  of  infiuence, 
and  that  those  engaged  in  teaching  and  County 
lecturing  may  find  in  Its  pages  material  of  interest 
and  of  value. 

I  have  aimed  at  simplicity  In  definition  and 
have  not  attempted  too  much  detail  of  a  purely 
scientific  nature.  I  am  aware  of  its  Incomplete- 
ness, but  Its  size  precludes  the  Inclusion  of  the 
more  minor  diseases  and  of  fuller  details  In  the 
case  of  those  diseases  treated.  I  hope,  however, 
that  any  deficiency  In  detail  will  be  compensated 
for  by  the  points  of  special  merit,  and  that  It  may 
be  found  worthy  of  a  place  on  every  agriculturist's 
bookshelf. 

Many  of  the  drawings  are  original,  and  where 
otherwise  are  duly  acknowledged. 


X  AUTHOR'S  PREFACE 

I  desire  to  acknowledge  my  indebtedness  to 
my  good  friend  E.  A.  Bessey,  M.A.,  Ph.D., 
Professor  of  Botany,  Michigan  Agricultural  Col- 
lege, for  kindly  writing  the  Prefatory  note  and 
the  subject  matter  on  pages  29,  30,  33-38,  79  and 
83  ;  for  reading  the  whole  of  the  proofs  and  for 
many  other  valuable  suggestions  and  additions. 

To  any  others  who  have  assisted  me  either 
directly  or  indirectly   I   tender  my  best  thanks. 


THOMAS  MILBURN. 


(Bounty  Offices, 
Preston,  July^   1915- 


CONTENTS. 


PAGES 

Prefatory  Note v-viii 

Author's  Preface ix-x 

CHAPTER  I. 
General  Information 1-38 

CHAPTER  II. 
Fungoid  Diseases  of  Cereals 39-62 

CHAPTER  III. 

Fungoid    Diseases  of    Leguminous    Plants   (Peas, 

Beans,  etc.) 63-74 

CHAPTER  IV. 
Fungoid  Diseases  of  Potatoes         .        .        .        •       75-93 

CHAPTER  V. 
Fungoid  Diseases  of  Crucifers  (Turnips,  Cahrage, 

ETC.) 94-102 

CHAPTER  VI. 
Fungoid  Diseases  of  Mancjels  and  Beet         .        .    103-108 

APPENDIX. 
Fungoid  Diseases  of  Farm  Animals        .        .        .    109-113 

Index 115-118 


FUNGOID    DISEASES    OF    FARM    AND 

GARDEN  CROPS. 

CHAPTER   I. 

GENERAL  INFORMATION. 

The  diseases  described  in  the  subsequent  pages  of 
this  book  are  caused  by  fungi  (low  forms  of  vege- 
table life)  which  rob  the  larger  plants  of  part  of  their 
nourishment.  The  term  fungi,  however,  is  some- 
what vague,  hence  it  will  be  well  at  the  outset  to 
state  definitely  in  what  light  the  word  will  be  used. 
In  its  wider  sense  it  embraces  not  only  the  h'tce  fungi, 
but  also  the  bacteria,  while  in  the  narrower  light  it 
includes  the  true  fungi  only — bacteria  coming  in  a 
separate  class.  Practically  all  the  diseases  described 
herein  are  caused  by  the  true  fungi,  and  hence  the 
term  is  used  throughout  in  its  narrower  sense. ^ 
Everyday  examples  of  true  fungi  are  to  be  found 
in  the  various  moulds  on  fruit,  jam,  cheese,  and  in 
the  mushrooms,  toadstools,  mildews,  etc. 

A  classification  of  fungi  is  given  on  p.  34,  where 

1  A  few  diseases  not  caused  by  true  fungi  will  be  described,  but 
these  will  be  noted  in  the  text. 

I 


2  FUNGOID  DISEASES 

it  will  be  seen  that  they  form  a  number  of  classes 
which  have  probably  arisen  by  the  degeneration  (it 
may  be  said  through  the  loss  of  chlorophyll)  of 
forms  in  various  groups  of  green,  or  at  least  chloro- 
phyll-containing, low  water-plants  called  algce. 
Owing  to  their  being  devoid  of  chlorophyll,  they 
are  entirely  dependent  for  their  food  on  matter  al- 
ready built  up,  either  by  higher  plants,  or  by  ani- 
mals. Those  deriving  their  nourishment  from 
living  organic  matter  are  called  parasites,  others 
deriving  it  from  dead  matter  are  called  saprophytes 
(see  p.  1 2). 

Before  passing  on  to  the  actual  plant  diseases,  a 
few  botanical  terms  must  be  described  and  a  little 
general  information  given  in  order  to  make  the 
context  of  the  book  more  easily  understood. 

HyphcB. — Most  fungi  have  their  vegetative  part 
(the  body  of  the  fungus,  or  that  part  which  takes 
up  food)  in  the  form  of  very  fine  delicate  threads 
called  hyphae  (Fig.  i),  which  are  mostly  invis- 
ible, singly,  to  the  naked  eye.  They  are  in  reality, 
fine  transparent  tubes  containing  a  semi-fiuid  sub- 
stance called  protoplasm,  which  is  the  vital  part.  It 
circulates  slowly  inside  these  tubes,  and  in  it  are  em- 
bedded numerous  nuclei,  fat  globules,  etc.  Growth 
of  the  hyphae  takes  place  at  the  tip. 

Mycelium. — Usually  the  hyphae  do  not  remain 
long  as  single  threads,  but  branch  and  re-branch, 
becoming  thereby  interlaced  and  forming  what   is 


GENERAL  INFORMATION  3 

termed  the  mycelium  (Fig.  i).  This  mycelium 
then  is  nothing  more  than  a  network  of  hyphae 
which,  when  a  fungus  has  grown  some  time,  is 
visible  to  the  naked  eye,  as  seen  in  the  grey  covering 
called  mildew  on  turnips  and  other  plants,  and  in 
the  white  or  ereen  mould  on  bread  and  cheese. 


A 


B 


Fig.  I.— (A)  Conidiophore  oi  Penicillium  glancum  {c  2)  highly  magnified  ; 
(5.  s.)  sterigmata  or  spore-bearing  branches ;  [c  i)  conidia  or  spores ; 
(B)  portion  of  mycelium  of  PoticilHiun  which  has  developed  from  the 
spore  (s)  ;  b.b.b.  branches  or  hyphae  ;  notice  the  brush-like  groups 
of  conidia.     (After  Brefeld.) 

The  words  hyphee  and  mycelium  often  form  a 
stumbling-block  to  students,  and  consequently  the 
following  illustration  is  given  with  a  view  to  making 
them  clearer.     If  we  take  a  single  thread  drawn  from 

T       * 


FUNGOID  DISEASES 


a  piece  of  cotton-wool  to  represent  a  hypha,  then 
several  such  threads  represent  the  hyphae ;  and  a 
little  of  the  wool  spread  out  thinly  corresponds  to 
the  mycelium. 

Sporangiophore  and  Conidiophore. — After  ''feed- 
ing" for  a  time,  certain  aerial  hyphas  grow  out  from 
the   mycelium,   on   which   spores  are  subsequently 


A  B 

Fig.  2. — Mucor  mucedo — (A)  Showing  the  formation  of  a  sporangium  ; 
(B)  the  sporangium  full  grown  containing  the  oval  spores.  The  stalk 
(5)  is  called  a  sporangiophore.     (Highly  magnified.) 

formed.  If  the  spores  are  enclosed  in  a  sac  (e.g. 
Mucor  mucedo,  Fig.  2)  these  aerial  hyphas  are  called 
sporangiophores,  if  they  are  borne  externally  on 
branches  the  aerial  hyphse  are  called  conidiophores. 
Sclet'otia. — Under  certain  conditions — usually 
when  food  or  moisture  is  lacking — the  hyphae,  at 
certain  points  of  the  mycelium,  branch  and  interlace 
to  such  an  extent  that  firm  felted  masses  called 
sclerotia   result.      These    sclerotia   are    hard   and 


GENERAL  INFORMATION 


5 


usually  dark  coloured  ;  and  the  hyphce  forming  them 
are  rich  in  food  substances.  They  constitute  a 
resting  stage,  in  that  they  can  withstand  cold, 
drought,  etc.  ;  and  after  a  longer  or  shorter  period 
of  rest,  are  capable  of  starting  growth  (see  p.  55, 
under  ergot).  When  sections  of  sclerotia  are  ex- 
amined under  the  microscope  they  resemble,  to 
some  extent,  the  tissue  of  the  higher  plants. 


A 


E3 


Fig.  3. — (A)  Sclerotiuin  of  Clavueps  pnrpui'ea  (Ergot)  ;  (B)  Sclerotium 
of  Sclerutinia  trifoliornm ;  (C)  Is  a  section  through  a  sclerotiuin 
showing  cell-like  appearance,  somewhat  diagrammatic  and  highly 
magnified. 

HaiLstorla  (Suckers). — Parasitic  fungi  which  live 
on  the  surface  of  the  host  plant  (e.g.  Erysiphc),  and 
many  of  those  living  in  the  intercellular  spaces  (e.g. 
Piiccinia graininis),  are  provided  with  special  organs, 
for  the  absorption  of  food,  called  haustoria,  or 
suckers. 

These  haustoria  are  modified  portions  of  the 
hyphae,  and  are  of  no  fixed  form  (Fig.  4).  In  the 
Erysiphacece  they   consist    of  foot-like   expansions 


6  FUNGOID  DISEASES 

firmly  attached  to  the  leaf  surface,  which  send  a  very 
fine  thread  into  the  inside  of  the  cells  of  the  host. 
This  fine  thread  forms  a  sack-like  swelling  inside, 
which  gives  a  larger  surface  for  the  absorption  of 
food.  There  is,  however,  greater  variety  of  form  in 
the  haustoria  of  those  fungi  which  live  inside  the 
plant  (endophytic).  Saprophytic  fungi,  and  those 
parasitic    fungi    which   live  inside  the  cells  of  the 


Fig.  4. — Showing  the  formation  of  a  haustoriuni  or  sucker  ;  (B)  in  a 
species  of  Erysiphe  ;  (A)  the  hyph^e  ;  (C)  the  surface  cells  of  the  leaf. 
(Somewhat  diagrammatic.) 

host,  are  not  so  dependent  on  these  special  organs 
for  the  absorption  of  food,  as  in  their  case  it  can 
be  taken  in  over  the  entire  surface  of  the  hyphse. 

Spores. — These  are  extremely  minute  portions 
of  protoplasm  which  become  separated  from  the 
parent  fungus  for  the  purpose  of  reproducing  its 
kind,  serving  the  same  function  for  the  fungus  that 
seeds  do  for  the  higher  plants.  They  are  usually 
— though  not  always^surrounded  by  a  protective 


GENERAL  INFORMATION  7 

covering — the  wall  of  the  spore.  There  are  a 
variety  of  types,  but  for  convenience  we  may  class 
them  under  two  heads  : — 

(a)  Those  which  are  formed  as  a  result  of  some 
sexual  union,  e.g.  oospores,  zygospores,  etc. 

(d)  Those  formed  asexually,  i.e.  not — so  far  as  is 
known — by  any  sexual  act,  e.g.  conidia,  endospores, 
chlamydospores. 

Under  each  of  these  heads  the  shape  of  the 
spores  is  very  varied.     They  may  be  : — 

Round  as  in  Penicillmm  glauciun, 

Oval  as  in  Mucor  mitcedo, 

Angular  as  in  Oidium  lactis, 

Crescent  shaped  as  in  Pusarhwi  solaniy 

Needle  shaped  as  in  Claviceps  ptcrpitrea  (asco- 
spores). 

Kidney  shaped  as  in  many  Basidiomycetes  ; 
indeed,  diversity  in  shape  may  be  noticed  in  spores 
growing  side  by  side  on  the  same  branch.  Irre- 
spective of  the  shape,  most  fungus  spores  are  easily 
carried  in  the  atmosphere  from  place  to  place  ; 
where  they  may  either  be  capable  of  immediate 
germination,  or  they  may  remain  dormant  for  a 
considerable  time  prior  to  growth.  In  either  case 
a  new  centre  of  infection  is  set  up  by  each  individ- 
ual spore  thus  carried. 

Germination  of  Spores. — The  germination  of 
spores,  and  the  growth  of  a  fungus  generally,  are 
best  studied  by  making  what  are  called  drop  cul- 


8 


FUNGOID  DISEASES 


tures,  and  observing  the  changes  from  time  to  time 
under  the  microscope.  They  may  be  made  as 
follows : — 

Upon  a  piece  of  ordinary  glass   3|-  in.   x    i   in. 
(Fig.   5,  A)  place  a  small  piece  of  cardboard  ^  (B) 


'SMi'lFl^i^'^^':^!^ 


Fig.  5. — Sketch  showing  how  drop  cultures  are  made,  on  which  the  ger- 
mination of  spores  and  growth  of  fungi  may  be  observed  direct  under 
the  microscope.     Also  shown  in  section.     Description  in  text. 

about  one  inch  square,  having  a  hole  (C)  in  the 
centre.  Take  a  very  thin  piece  of  glass  one  inch 
in  diameter  (cover  glass)  clean  and  sterile,  and 
place  upon  it,  by  means  of  a  glass  rod,  a  drop  of 
sterile  water  or  other  substance.^ 

Place  the  smallest  possible  number  of  spores  on 

^  Boil  the  cardboard  for  one  minute  prior  to  using,  and  keep  all 
glass  and  instruments  used  as  sterile  as  possible. 

^  Various  substances  are  used,  e.g.  prune  juice,  dung  extract, 
sugar  solutions,  beer  wort,  etc.  ;  some  spores  germinating  best  in 
one,  some  in  another.     All  substances  used  must  be  germ  free. 


GENERAL  INFORMATION  g 

the  drop  by  means  of  a  very  fine  platinum  needle, 
then  invert  and  place  over  the  cardboard  (B).  The 
drop  of  nutriment  which  has  been  inoculated  with 
the  desired  spores  now  hangs  from  the  cover  glass 
in  the  chamber  (C)  formed  by  the  slide  below,  the 
hole  in  the  cardboard,  and  the  cover  glass  above. 
Without  disturbing  this  in  any  way  the  growth  of 
the  spores  may  be  studied  by  frequent  examination 
under  the  microscope/ 

The  change  which  spores  undergo  when  placed 
upon  such  a  drop  depends  upon  the  composition  of 
the  liquid  forming  the  drop,  and  in  part  to  the  sur- 
rounding conditions.  The  spores  of  many  parasitic 
fungi  refuse  to  germinate  in  almost  any  solution  ; 
others  will  germinate  in  one  solution  but  not  in 
another,  e.g.  spores  of  Tilletia  (bunt)  germinate 
freely  in  water  but  refuse  to  grow  when  placed  in 
drops  of  food  solutions.  Then  again  some  spores 
give  different  changes  in  different  liquids,  e.g. 
spores  of  Ustilago  (smut)  germinate  in  water  and 
very  dilute  food  solutions  ;  but  in  solutions  contain- 
ing abundant  nutriment  they  multiply  by  a  process 
called  budding. 

The  typical  germination  of  a  spore  consists  in  the 
protrusion  of  a  portion  of  the  wall  which  gradually 
develops    into    a  delicate   tube  (Fig.    6,    B) ;     this 

^  It  is  advisable  to  keep  at  a  medium  temperature,  and  place  in- 
side moist  chambers,  as  this  keeps  the  drop  of  nutriment  from  dry- 
ing up. 


10  FUNGOID  DISEASES 

branches  and  re-branches,  ultimately  forming  the 
mycelium  which  is  capable  of  unlimited  growth  under 
favourable  conditions.  Many  spores  are  capable  of 
germination  after  passing  through  the  body  of  an 
animal  ;  the  wall  of  the  spores  having  resisted  the 
effect  of  the  digestive  juices.  This  is  a  point  of 
great  importance,  and  one  that  should  never  be  lost 
sight  of  in  combating  the  attack  of  any  particular 
fungoid  disease. 


Q    (J 

Q 

Q> 

A 


\>ic_  6. — Showing  germination  of  the  spores  oi  PcniciUium  glancitiii  :  (A) 
the  spores  before  germination  ;  (B),  (C)  successive  stages  in  germina- 
tion ;  {tj  the  germ  tube.  In  (C)  cross  walls  have  been  formed  in  the 
hyphae  {h).     (Highly  magnified.) 

Reproduction. — We  have  just  seen  that  quite  a 
variety  of  spores  are  formed,  by  the  different  fungi, 
for  the  purpose  of  reproduction,  some  forming  one 
kind,  somie  another  ;  but  what  is  even  more  inter- 
esting is  the  fact  that  the  same  fungus  may  form 
more  than  one  kind.  Many  examples  might  be 
given,  but  perhaps  one  of  the  most  striking  amongst 
parasitic   fungi  is  Piiccinia  grauiinis  (rust),   which 


GENERAL  INFORMATION  ii 

forms  on  wheat  uredospores  and  teleutospores  ; 
while  the  same  fungus  when  growing  on  the  bar- 
bery [Berderis  vulgaris)  produces  aecidiospores  and 
picnospores. 

On  making  a  study  of  saprophytic  fungi,  it  is 
found  that  the  particular  form  of  spore  produced 
depends  upon  the  conditions  of  food,  temperature, 
air  supply,  moisture,  etc.  ;  provided  these  remain 
constant,  so  does  the  form  of  the  spore  ;  but  change 
any  or  all  of  the  factors,  and  a  change  in  the  spore 
formation  usually  results.  Moving  the  mycelium 
of  some  fungi  from  a  rich  nutritive  medium  into  a 
poorer  one,  or  into  distilled  water,  will  immediately 
result  in  a  chancre  of  fructification.  In  a  similar 
manner  lack  of  water,  or  lack  of  food,  will  cause 
change.  It  will  be  seen  then  that  diversity  in  the 
type  of  reproduction  serves  a  most  useful  purpose 
to  the  funo^us  in  case  of  emergfencies  ;  in  that  al- 
though  the  conditions  may  be  unfavourable  to 
growth,  and  the  mycelium  may  die  in  consequence, 
the  spores  remain  to  perpetuate  the  species,  when 
and  if  more  favourable  conditions  are  afforded. 
In  combating  any  disease  this  should  be  carefully 
borne  in  mind. 

Just  as  gooseberry  bushes  may  be  increased  in 
number  by  putting  detached  portions  under  favour- 
able conditions  for  growth,  so  also  can  small  por- 
tions of  mycelium  serve  to  increase  the  amount  of 
fungus  growth.     This  method  of  increase,  however. 


12  FUNGOID  DISEASES 

sinks  into  insignificance  under  the  profuse  produc- 
tion of  spores. 

Pa^^asites^  and  Saprophytes. — According  to  the 
source  of  food,  we  divided  fungi  into  parasites  and 
saprophytes  (see  page  2).  This  division,  how- 
ever, is  somewhat  arbitrary,  for  many  parasitic 
fungi  are  capable  of  living  wholly  or  partly  as 
saprophytes.  In  like  manner,  some  saprophytes 
are  able  to  exist  as  parasites.  A  better  division  is 
as  follows  : — 

1.  Totally  Parasitic. — Fungi  whose  whole  life  is 
spent  on  living  matter,  and  which,  so  far  as  our 
present  methods  of  cultivation  allow,  will  not  grow 
on  dead  organic  substances,  e.g.  the  Ui^edinales 
(rusts)  and  the  different  species  of  Eiysiphacece 
(mildews). 

2.  Semi-parasitic, — Fungi  which  are  capable  of 
growth  for  all,  or  part,  of  their  life  cycle  as  sapro- 
phytes, but  which  are  typically  found  parasitic  for 
part,  or  all,  of  this  cycle.  The  smuts  are  capable 
of  growth  indefinitely  as  saprophytes,  but  do  not 
produce  the  typical  smut  spores  unless  they  grow 
as  parasites  ;  on  the  other  hand  all  stages  of  the 
potato  fungus  [Pkytopht/iora)  can  be  grown  sapro- 
phytically,  although  in  nature  it  is  commonly  found 
only  as  a  parasite. 

1 A  parasite  may  be  looked  upon  as  a  robber  of  the  plant,  and 
stands  in  much  the  same  relation  to  the  host  as  a  lazy  fellow  does 
to  his  victim,  from  whom  he  obtains  food  and  money. 


GENERAL  INFORMATION  13 

3.  Totally  Saprophytic. — Fungi  which  are  un- 
able to  exist  as  parasites,  and  which  in  consequence 
do  not  cause  disease  to  either  plants  or  animals. 
They  merely  play  the  part  of  scavengers,  hastening 
the  decay  of  refuse  matter. 

4.  Hemi- saprophytic. — Fungi  which  live  chiefly 
as  saprophytes,  but  which  are  able  to  exist  either 
partly  or  totally  as  parasites,  e.g.  various  species  of 
Mzccor  and  Penicillium  ;  or  even  more  so  the  dif- 
ferent species  of  Polyporus — seen  as  sponge-like 
masses  on  trees — which,  as  parasites,  are  able  to 
kill  living  cells,  but  are  also  capable  of  living  totally 
saprophytic. 

Each  of  these  four  heads  might  be  sub-divided, 
but  for  this  work  it  will  suffice  to  divide  the  purely 
parasitic  fungi  into  : — 

(a)  Epiphytic — parasites  which  live  on  the  surface 
of  the  host,  e.g.  species  of  EjysiphacecE  (mildews). 

(^)  Endophytic — parasites  which  live  inside  the 
plants  ;  either  in  the  intercellular  spaces  (the  space 
between  the  cells)  or  inside  the  cells,  e.g.  Phyto- 
phthora  infestans  inside  the  cells  of  the  diseased 
potato. 

Effect  of  Parasite  on  the  Plant. — The  changes 
brought  about  by  parasitic  fungi  are  exceedingly 
varied  ;  the  plant  may  succumb  to  the  attack  of  the 
fungus  in  a  few  days,  e.g.  as  seen  in  the  "damping 
off "  of  cress,  or  the  host  and  parasite  may  live  to- 
gether for  a  long  time   without  disastrous  results, 


14  FUNGOID  DISEASES 

as  seen  in  the  brain-like  swellings  on  such  trees  as 
the  elm.  In  some  cases  the  invaded  tissues  are  killed, 
in  others  only  certain  tissues  or  only  certain  areas, 
while  often  the  fungus  simply  robs  the  affected 
tissues  of  certain  food  stuffs  so  that  death  does  not 
occur  ;  indeed  the  tissue  may  be  stimulated  to  ab- 
normally active  growth. 

The  injury  due  to  the  presence  of  the  fungus 
itself  may  be  very  slight  but  its  consequences  far- 
reaching.  The  destruction  of  leaf  tissues  by  many 
fungi  leads  to  starvation  of  the  whole  plant  owing 
to  the  destruction  of  the  food  manufacturing  organs 
(leaf  tissues) ;  so  also  a  fungus  may  simply  destroy 
the  root  hairs  (the  fine  feeding  roots),  the  death  of 
the  plant  resulting  from  the  destruction  of  these 
water-absorbing  organs.  The  rust  of  wheat  {Pitc- 
cinia  grauiinis)  is  chiefly  injurious  in  that  it  splits 
the  stems  and  so  permits  them  to  dry  out.  In 
many  cases  the  fungus  secretes  poisons  which  pass  to 
various  parts  of  the  plant  causing  various  reactions. 

Some  of  the  results  of  parasitic  attack  are  men- 
tioned below  : — 

1.  Sudden  collapse  of  the  host  as  above- 
mentioned. 

2.  Plant  and  parasite  may  live  together  for  years, 
with  comparatively  slight  alteration  of  tissue,  e.g. 
species  of  Exoasctts  on  trees. 

-    3.  Abnormal  fruit,  e.g.  Exoascus  pntni,  causing 
the  disease  known  as  ''pocket  plums". 


GENERAL  INFORMATION  15 

4.  Abnormal  llowering — ^where  the  attacked  part 
flowers  at  a  different  time  from  the  rest  of  the  plant, 
e.g.  "witches'  broom"  on  the  cherry  tree. 

5.  Suppression  of  part  of  the  reproductive  organs, 
e.g.  Ustilago  (smut)  on  Lychnis  dioica  (campion). 

6.  Premature  development  of  buds,  e.g.  a 
diseased  potato  usually  develops  the  buds  earlier 
than  the  healthy  ones,  and  the  same  phenomenon 
is  seen  in  the  ''witches'  broom"  on  the  elder. 

7.  Contortions  of  the  most  varied  nature,  e.g. 
Cystoptts  candidus  on  Capsella  Inu'sa  pastoris  (shep- 
herd's purse). 

8.  Discoloration  of  the  parts  affected — most 
fungi. 

9.  Formation  of  different  colours,  e.g.  Rki.zoctoma, 
violet  on  roots,  and  Fitsarium  (species),  rose-pink 
on  potatoes. 

10.  Cell  wall  and  cell  contents  changed  by  means 
of  ferments,  e.g.  wall  and  starch  grains  in  a  diseased 
potato. 

Others  might  be  given,  but  these  will  suffice  to 
convey  to  the  mind  of  the  reader  the  great  changers 
which  are  brought  about. 

Influence  of  Host  on  Parasite. — While  parasites 
are  able  to  bring  about  such  contortions,  etc.,  in 
plants,  these  in  turn  are  not  without  their  effect  on 
the  attacking  party.  Certain  fungi  are  only  capable 
of  existing  on  plants  of  a  particular  genus  ;  others 
again   on   a  single   species,  while  some  can   only 


i6  FUNGOID  DISEASES 

make  "  healthy  "  growth  on  certain  varieties  of  the 
same  species.  The  different  varieties  of  wheat, 
barley,  potatoes,  etc.,  show  marked  differences  in 
the  power  of  warding  off  the  attacks  of  their  re- 
spective diseases  ;  e.g.  while  one  variety  of  potato  ^ 
forms  a  suitable  feeding  ground  for  Phytophthora, 
and  falls  a  prey  to  disease  in  consequence  ;  another 
is  unfavourable  to  its  development  and  as  a  result 
suffers  less  from  the  attack.  This  diversity  is  due 
in  a  great  measure  to  the  difference  in  the  relative 
amounts  of  the  various  chemical  substances  within 
the  plant.  Influence  of  plant  on  parasite  is  again 
shown  where  a  change  of  the  host  results  in  the 
formation  of  a  different  kind  of  spore,  as  is  well 
instanced  in  Pticcinia  graminis  which  forms  on 
wheat  uredo-  and  teleuto-spores,  while  on  the  bar- 
bery {^Berberis)  aecidiospores  are  produced  ;  again 
Cystopus  candidus  (producing  white  rust  in  cruci- 
fers)  on  shepherd's  purse  forms  only  conidia,  while 
on  some  other  plants  belonging  to  the  same  order 
another  kind  of  spore  is  formed,  viz.  oospore. 

The  above  examples  show  that  the  host  exerts 
a  very  considerable  influence  on  the  parasite. 

Signs  of  Disease. — The  various  changes  enum- 
erated under  ''Effect  of  Parasite  on  Plant"  (p. 
13)  indicate  the  presence  of  some  attack.     These 

^  Grown  under  identical  conditions,  some  varieties  may  have  over 
two  tons  of  diseased  tubers  to  the  acre,  e.g.  "  Up-to-Date,"  and  others 
not  as  many  cwts.,  e.g.  "  King  Edward  VII  ". 


GENERAL  INFORMATION  17 

abnormal  conditions  may  be  classed  under  three 
heads,  viz.  : — 

1.  Discoloration, 

2.  Abnormal  outgrowths, 

3.  Death, 

the  two  latter  of  which  may,  or  may  not,  be  pre- 
ceded by  the  former.  Change  in  colour,  however, 
may  be  said  to  be  one  of  the  most  frequent  results 
of  disease  attack  ;  such  change  may  be  reduction 
ot  the  natural  colour  generally,  or,  what  is  of  more 
frequent  occurrence,  the  local  formation  of  new 
colour. 

We  see  then  how  important  It  is  that  the  farmer 
should  train  his  eye — already  quick  at  observing 
most  things — to  detect  any  change  In  colour  in 
part,  or  the  whole,  of  his  crop  ;  for  if  disease  be 
present,  it  may  still  be  possible,  by  applying  stimu- 
lating manures  to  the  soil,  or  fungicides  to  the  leaf, 
to  mitigate  the  extent  of  the  attack  ;  growth  of  the 
plants  being  assisted  by  the  former,  and  healthy 
plants  protected  by  the  latter. 

Diagnosis  of  Disease. — Abnormalities  of  any 
kind  having  been  noticed  In  a  few  or  many  plants, 
it  is  essential  that  some  idea  should  be  formed  as 
to  the  cause.  If  preventive  measures  are  to  be 
adopted  to  limit  the  extent  of  the  attack,  and  here 
comes  the  farmer's  difficulty.  A  small  pocket 
magnifying  glass  will  often  reveal  much  that  is 
obscure    to    the    naked    eye — no   student  of  agri- 


1 8  FUNGOID  DISEASES 

culture  or  farmer  should  be  without  one — but  for  a 
more  critical  examination  a  microscope  is  necessary. 
Spread  of  Disease. — The  spread  of  disease  may 
be  brought  about  in  a  variety  of  ways,  the  chief  of 
which  are  enumerated  below  : — 

1.  Movement  of  disease  spores  in  the  atmosphere 
by  wind. 

2.  Spores  or  diseased  parts  of  plant  carried  by 
animals,  man,  implements,  etc. 

3.  Transportation    of  infected    soil    by  animals, 
implements,  etc. 

4.  Growth  of  fungus  from  centre  of  infection. 
The  spores  which  constitute  the  chief  form   of 

reproduction  in  parasitic  fungi  are  exceedingly 
minute,  and  when  detached  from  the  fungus  threads 
most  of  them  are  easily  carried  by  the  wind  from 
place  to  place,  thus  spreading  the  disease.  This  is 
well  instanced  in  the  spores  of  the  fungus  causing 
potato  disease  {^Phytophthord)  which  are  carried  from 
field  to  field  ;  and  accounts  for  the  rapidity  of  its  in- 
crease, and  extent  of  its  devastation,  under  favour- 
able conditions  (see  later).  These  same  spores,  and 
those  of  other  fungi  not  carried  by  wind,  may  be- 
come attached  to  the  feet  or  bodies  of  insects,  birds, 
rabbits,  man,  implements,  etc.,  and  thus  disseminate 
the  disease.  Diseased  plants  when  carted  from  the 
root  shed  and  thrown  on  previously  uninfected 
areas  cause  direct  contamination,  as  also  does  the 
manure   from    cattle    which    have    eaten    diseased 


GENERAL  INFORMATION  19 

plants  or  seeds,  for  many  spores  are  not  attacked 
by  the  digestive  juices  of  the  stomach  and  are  thus 
capable  of  germination  under  favourable  conditions. 
Birds  carry  diseased  fruits  from  place  to  place. 
Soil  from  an  infected  area  may  be  carried  by  im- 
plements, etc.,  to  different  parts  of  the  same,  or 
other  fields,  e.g.  spread  of  *'finger-and-toe  "  disease. 
Diseases  spread  in  this  manner,  i.e.  carried  by 
animals,  etc.,  although  by  no  means  easy  to  check, 
can  be  more  successfully  prevented  than  those 
whose  spores  are  carried  by  the  wind. 

How  Fungi  Gain  Admission  to  the  Plant. — It  is 
not  definitely  known  how  many  parasitic  fungi 
gain  entrance  to  the  healthy  plant,  but  it  may  be 
in  one  of  three  ways  : — 

1.  Digestion  of  the  cell  wall. 

2.  Through  the  breathing  pores. 

3.  At  some  wound. 

The  delicate  germ  tube  which  protrudes  on 
germination  is  in  some  cases  capable  of  gaining  an 
entrance  to  the  plant  by  digesting  the  wall  with 
the  ferments  which  it  secretes.  The  germ  tube  of 
Phytophthora,  although  usually  entering  at  a  breath- 
ing pore,  is  also  capable  of  digesting  the  cell  wall, 
while  hyphze  of  Sclerotinia  sclerotioruvi  are  capable 
of  piercing  the  cell  walls  of  a  variety  of  plants. 
The  number  of  funcri  enterino-  in  this  way  is,  how- 
ever,  probably  over-estimated,  for  some  minute 
wound  can  often  be  detected. 


ry      "SK 


20  FUNGOID  DISEASES 

The  second  mode  of  entrance  Is  found  In  those 
fungi  whose  spores  are  disseminated  by  the  wind, 
e.g.  the  germ  tube  from  the  zoospore  of  Phytoph- 
thora,  If  near  a  stoma,  enters  It,  being  attracted  by 
certain  food  substances — "  chemotropism  ". 

The  third  method  of  entrance,  I.e.  through  some 
wound,  is  the  most  widespread,  Indeed  It  is  highly 
probable  that  many  fungi  which  are  said  to  enter  In 
other  ways  gain  admission  in  this  manner.  Many 
parasitic  fungi  may  be  placed  on  the  surface  of  a 
healthy  plant,  where  the  epidermis  is  intact,  without 
gaining  an  entrance  ;  but  should  the  least  abrasion 
be  made.  Inoculation  Is  almost  certain.  This  Is 
well  Illustrated  in  the  pruning  of  large  trees  ;  If  no 
dressing  is  applied  to  the  cut  surface  Polyportts  or 
some  other  fungus  usually  finds  an  easy  entrance 
and  ultimately  causes  decay  of  the  parts. 

The  root  hairs  of  the  plant  are  delicate  organs, 
and  hence  it  seems  fair  to  conclude  that  some  fungi 
enter  plants  through  them.  When  other  channels 
of  Infection  prove  uncertain  a  fungus  Is  said,  either 
rightly  or  wrongly,  to  pass  in  via  these  hairs,  but 
as  before  mentioned,  some  of  the  cases  attributed 
to  such  entrances  are  more  or  less  obscure,  e.g. 
Plasmodiophora  bras  sices. 

N'atural  Conditions  Favouring  the  Spixad  of 
Fungoid  Diseases.  i.  Weather  Conditions. — A 
moist  atmosphere  combined  with  warmth  provides 
the  optimum  conditions  for  fungoid  development, 


GENERAL  INFORMATION  21 

disease  spores  being-  unable  to  germinate  without 
these.  Unfortunately  the  farmer  has  no  direct 
control  over  the  weather,  but  indirectly  he  can  keep 
the  plants  drier  by  giving  them  more  space.  The 
effect  of  moisture  is  well  seen  in  the  case  of  a  field 
of  potatoes  ;  the  four  rows  next  to  the  hedge,  almost 
without  exception,  suffer  more  from  the  Phytoph- 
tkoJ'a  disease  than  any  other  part  of  the  field. 
This  is  so  marked  that  in  certain  districts  the 
farmers  hold  firmly  to  the  opinion  that  the  disease 
comes  from  the  trees  which  constitute  the  hedo^e. 

On  the  other  hand  lack  of  moisture  may  favour 
some  diseases,  e.g.  certain  forms  of  leaf  curl  in 
potatoes.  Again,  the  moisture  content  of  the  soil 
during  the  early  stages  in  the  growth  of  swedes  may 
profoundly  influence  the  extent  of  finger-and-toe 
disease  in  the  subsequent  crop,  as  is  shown  in  the  un- 
dermentioned case  which  the  author  investio-ated  : — 

Half  of  a  large  field  sown  8th  June,  poor  crop, 
8 1  per  cent  diseased. 

Half  of  same  field  sown  15th  June,  good  crop, 
1 1  per  cent  diseased. 

The  cultivation,  manuring,  and  previous  cropping 
of  the  two  halves,  were  the  same,  but  thc^  wc^ather 
about  the  time  of  the  first  sowing  was  dry  while 
immediately  after  the  second  sowing  there  were 
heavy  rainfalls  on  three  successive  days. 

2.  Crowded  Cropping. — Most  plants  are  mor(i 
susceptible  to  disease  when  grown  closely  together  : 


22  FUNGOID  DISEASES 

this  is  due  to  their  not  drying  so  quickly  after  rain 
as  when  more  space  is  given. 

3.  Continued  Cropping, — -Where  plants  are  grown 
continuously  on  the  same  land,  a  suitable  host  is 
always  at  hand  for  the  disease-producing  fungi,  and 
spread  of  disease  is  favoured  thereby. 

4.  Diversity  in  Host, — Even  when  crops  are  not 
grown  continuously,  if  w^eeds  be  allowed  to  flourish 
in  the  interval,  some  of  these  mav  act  as  host  until 
the  same  crop  is  repeated  ;  for  it  is  known  that 
some  fungi  are  capable  of  existing  on  many,  or  all, 
of  the  plants  of  a  certain  order  ;  a  good  example 
being  found  in  Plasmodiophora  brassicce,  which  is 
capable  of  living,  during  the  interval  between  the 
turnip  crops  in  the  rotation,  on  cruciferous  weeds, 
should  such  be  present.  This  fact  is  favourable 
to  the  continuance  and  spread  of  disease. 

5.  Badly  Nonrished  Crops. — Crops  which  are 
ill-nourished  usually  succumb  more  readily  to  disease 
than  those  in  a  robust  condition  ;  sw^edes  grown 
where  phosphate  is  deficient  suffer  more  from  the 
attacks  of  Plasmodiophora  than  those  having  an 
adequate  supply  of  this  substance.  Potatoes  ap- 
pear to  be  more  susceptible  to  the  attack  of  certain 
forms  of  leaf  curl  when  low  in  vitality, 

6.  Adaptability  to  Varied  Conditions. — The  fact 
that  many  plant  parasites  are  able  to  adapt  them- 
selves to  the  most  varied  conditions  favours  attacks. 
When  privations  of  any  kind  set  in  then  resting 


GENERAL  INFORMATION  23 

spores  are  formed,  which  are  capable  of  withstand- 
ing variations  of  temperature,  and  subsequently 
germinating  under  favourable  conditions.  In  other 
cases  sclerotia  (see  p.  4)  are  found. 

7.  T^^ansportation  of  Spores — Wounds. — Spores 
are  distributed  either  by  wind  or  otherwise,  and  on 
germination  set  up  new  centres  of  infection.  En- 
trance to  the  plant  is  made  easier  by  the  presence 
of  wounds,  as  seen  on  page  20,  and  like  the  other 
above-mentioned  facts,  favours  non-extermination. 

Natttral  Conditions  Unfavourable  to  Spread  of 
Disease. — From  a  cursory  glance  it  would  appear 
as  though  everything  was  in  favour  of  the  growth 
of  parasitic  fungi  ;  fortunately  such  is  not  the  case. 
Dry  cold  weather  retards  their  growth,  the  cutiniz(xl 
(hardened)  epidermis  of  the  plant  makes  entrance 
more  difficult,  and  by  far  the  largest  bulk  of  disease 
spores  find  themselves  deposited  in  places  unfavour- 
able to  their  development.  Furthermore,  the  ex- 
tent to  which  some  varieties  of  a  particular  species 
of  plants  are  able  to  resist  disease  attack,  affords 
evidence  that  parasitic  fungi  meet  with  natural 
factors  which  limit  very  considerably  the  extent  of 
their  ravaofes. 

Amount  of  Damage  Done  by  Fungi. — The  loss 
which  any  particular  farmer  suffers  from  a  fungoid 
attack  is  in  itself  serious,  but  it  is  only  when  we 
take  statistics  for  the  whole  country  that  we  fully 
realize  the  amount  of  damage  done.     Take  potatoes 


24  FUNGOID  DISEASES 

as  an  example,  the  loss  in  a  "  disease  year "  is 
appalling. 

According  to  the  returns  of  the  Board  of  Agri- 
culture for  the  year  191 2,  the  area  under  potatoes 
in  the  United  Kingdom  was  1,219,583  acres,  with 
an  average  crop  of  about  6  tons  to  the  acre.  This 
gives  a  total  of  7,317,498  tons,  which  at  £2  per  ton 
are  worth  ;^  14, 634, 996  ;  but  assuming  that  disease 
is  rampant,  and  that  one-fourth  of  the  crop  is  diseased, 
if  we  take  the  value  of  the  diseased  tubers  at  los. 
per  ton,  the  total  value  of  the  whole  would  be 
;^i  1,890,934  instead  of  ^14,634,996,  which  means 
a  loss  of  ^3,744,061  for  the  United  Kingdom 
alone. 

The  losses  from  ofrain  rust  for  Prussia  alone  have 
been  estimated  at  millions  for  a  single  year,  while 
the  loss  in  Australia  due  to  rust  in  wheat  is  put 
at  2\  million  pounds  for  one  year. 

The  above  figures  are  only  approximate,  still 
they  give  us  some  idea  of  the  extent  of  the  damage, 
and  impress  upon  us  the  importance  of  adopting 
preventive  and  remedial  measures  whenever  pos- 
sible. 

Fungicides.  —  Cultural  and  other  preventive 
measures  based  upon  the  afore-mentioned  favour- 
able and  unfavourable  conditions  will  be  ofiven  later 
in  the  text,  but  it  will  be  well  to  enumerate  here  a 
few  of  the  common  fungicides,  and  the  methods  of 
preparation, 


GENERAT.  INFORMATION 


25 


1.  Bordeaux  mixture. 

2.  Soda- Bordeaux. 

3.  Soda-lime  Bordeaux. 

4.  Copper  sulphate  solution. 

5.  Hot  water. 

6.  Potassium  sulphide. 

7.  Formaldehyde. 

8.  Corrosive  sublimate. 

9.  Lime-sulphur. 

10.  Flowers  of  sulphur. 

I.  Bordeaux  Mixture. — This  mixture  was  first 
prepared  by  Millardet  in  1885,  and  has  since  been 
subjected  to  numerous  modifications.  Even  at  the 
,  present  day  different  strengths  are  recommended 
by  various  authorities.  It  is,  and  is  likely  to  re- 
main, the  most  important  fungicide,  being  popular 
on  account  of : — 

1.  Its  effectiveness  as  a  fungicide. 

2.  Its  cheapness. 

3.  Its  safety  from  a  hygienic  standpoint. 

4.  Its  safety  to  the  plant. ^ 

5.  Its   beneficial   effects   other   than    checking 

disease.^ 
The  active  principle  in  the  mixture  is  the  copper, 
which  in  very  dilute  solutions  is  poisonous  to  fungi 
— some  succumb  to  solutions  containing  one  part  of 

^  Recent  results  obtained  in  Lancashire  (L.C.C.  Farmers'  Bulletin, 
No.  27)  and  elsewhere  tend  to  modify  our  ideas  regardinj^  these 
points  ;  however,  further  research  is  necessary. 


26  FUNGOID  DISEASES 

copper  per  ten  million.  The  exact  composition  is 
unknown,  for  it  varies  according  to  the  manner  of 
preparation,  the  degree  of  purity  of  the  lime,  and  the 
copper  used.  When  freshly  prepared  it  consists 
essentially  of  a  saturated  watery  solution  of  calcium 
sulphate  and  calcium  hydroxide,  containing  in  sus- 
pension calcium  sulphate  and  copper  hydroxide  and 
a  varying  amount  of  calcium  hydroxide  and  calcium 
carbonate.  When  exposed  to  the  air  the  calcium 
hydroxide  takes  up  carbon  dioxide,  forming  calcium 
carbonate  which  is  washed  away  by  subsequent 
rains .  Whether  the  copper  hydroxide  undergoes  any 
change  is  doubtful,  no  change  is  probable  until  the 
whole  of  the  calcium  hvdroxide  has  been  neutralized, 
when  it  may  become  changed  to  carbonate.^ 

Preparation. — Strict  attention  should  be  paid 
to  the  instructions  given  below,  for  on  the  proper 
mixing,  and  purity  of  the  chemicals  used,  depends 
the  value  of  the  resultino-  solution  as  a  funo-icide. 
No  exact  formula  can  be  given,  as  it  is  always 
necessary  to  test  the  solution  before  applying,  but 
the  following  will  be  found  about  the  correct  pro- 
portions : — ^ 

1  See  "U.S.  Dep.  of  Agr.,  Division  of  Vegetable  Physiology  and 
Pathology  Bull.,"  No.  9,  1896,  and  for  more  recent  work,  Pickering, 
"Jour,  of  Agr.  Sc,"  vol.  iii.  part  2,  p.  171,  and  vol.  iv.  part  3,  p.  273  ; 
Gimmingham  and  Barker,  "Jour,  of  Agr.  Sc,"  vol.  iv.  part  i,  pp. 
69  and  76  ;  vol.  6,  part  2,  p.  220. 

-  The  amount  of  copper  sulphate  is  sometimes  reduced  to  equal 
the  amount  of  lime. 


GENERAT.  INFORMATION  2 


"/ 


12  lbs.  copper  sulphate. 
10  lbs.  lime  (freshly  burnt). 
100  gallons  water. 
Three  wooden  vessels  are  necessary  for  the 
proper  mixino- ;  two  small  and  one  double  their 
size — paraffin  barrels  answer  well  for  small  quan- 
tities. Powder  the  copper  sulphate,  put  in  a  piece  of 
sacking,  and  dissolve  in  half  the  water  in  one  of  the 
small  vessels.  Slake  the  lime  in  the  other  small 
vessel  with  the  remainino-  water.  When  the  lime 
wash  is  cooled,  pour  the  contents  of  the  two  vessels, 
after  stirrino-  both  at  the  same  time  into  the  lar^e 
receptacle.  The  resulting  solution  should  be  tested 
in  one  of  the  following  ways  :  for  if  too  much  h'me 
be  present  it  is  useless  as  a  fungicide,  if  too  little,  it 
is  dangerous  to  the  crop. 

{a)  Ferrocyaiiide  Test. — Add  one  drop  of  a 
solution  of  potassium  ferrocyanide  to  the 
mixture  ;  if  the  colour  of  the  drop  changes 
to  a  dark,  reddish  brown,  more  lime  is 
necessary,  if  no  change  in  colour,  the  mix- 
ture is  safe  to  apply. 
{[))  Hold  a  clean  knife  blade,  or  other  briglit 
surface  of  steel,  in  the  mixture  for  one 
minute,  if  on  removal  it  is  clean,  the  solu- 
tion is  safe  to  use  ;  if  copper  is  deposited 
on  the  surface  of  the  blade,  more  lime 
must  be  added. 
[c)  Litj?ms  Paper, — After  the  liquid  has  settled 


28  FUNGOID  DISEASES 

a  little  dip  a  piece  of  blue  litmus  paper 

into   it  ;    if  the  paper    remains   blue    the 

mixture  is  safe  to  use,  if  not  add  more 

lime  and  repeat  the  test. 

After  straining-  and   repeated   stirring,   apply  in 

the  form   of  a  fine  spray  in   the  quantities   stated 

under  the  respective  diseases — usually  from  40  to 

80  gallons  per  acre.     For  small  areas  a  knapsack 

sprayer  answers  very  well,  but  for  larger  areas  a 

horse  sprayer  should  be  used. 

2  and  3.  Soda-Bordeattx  and  Soda-Lime  Bor- 
deatix. — The  above  are  modifications  of  the  orio-inal 
Bordeaux  Mixture  ;  their  preparation  is  somewhat 
critical,  and  since  they  possess  no  effectual  advant- 
age over  the  original  solution,  details  as  to  mixing 
will  not  be  oiven. 

4.  Copper  StUphate  Solution. — Very  dilute  solu- 
tions of  copper  sulphate  are  sometimes  used  instead 
of  the  Bordeaux  Mixture,  but  since  they  are  more 
liable  to  injure  the  host  plant,  and  do  not  stick  to 
the  surface  so  well,  they  are  not  to  be  recommended 
for  general  adoption.  Dilute  solutions  are,  how- 
ever, of  great  value  for  the  treatment  of  seed  grain 
for  smut  and  bunt.  A  common  recipe  for  this 
purpose  is  the  following  :  i  lb.  copper  sulphate  and 
I  gallon  of  water  for  each  sack  of  wheat ;  the  grain 
being  spread  on  the  floor  and  the  mixture  applied 
by  means  of  a  watering  can,  while  the  grain  is 
being  turned.     The  above  mixture  is  a  10  per  cent 


GENERAL  INFORMATION  29 

solution,  and  is  far  too  strong-,  the  germination  of 
the  grain  being  sometimes  impaired  to  a  serious 
extent. 

A  better  method  of  prevention  is  to  resort  to  the 
hot  water  treatment,  or  to  use  more  dilute  solutions 
of  copper  sulphate.  Kiihn  recommends  the  follow- 
ing :  soak  the  seed  in  ^  per  cent  solution  of  copper 
sulphate^  for  12  to  16  hours,  remove  and  dry  24 
hours  prior  to  drilling  and  4  hours  prior  to  sowing 
broadcast.  It  is  an  advantage  if  the  grain  subse- 
quent to  the  removal  from  the  copper  sulphate  solu- 
tion be  put  for  3  to  4  minutes  in  thin  milk  of  lime.^ 

5.  {^^ Jensens  Hot  Water  Treatment. — This  has 
been  successfully  adopted  in  place  of  the  copper 
sulphate  solutions  for  the  prevention  of  certain 
smuts  and  bunt. 

Three  vessels  are  necessary  : — 

(i)  containing  water  at  212°  F. 

(2)  containing  water  at  120°  F, 

(3)  containing  water  at  133°  F. 

The  grain  should  be  put  into  wire  baskets  for 
treatment,  or  open,  coarse  sacks,  which  will  do 
equally  well,  First  immerse  for  i  minute  in  No. 
(2)  in  order  to  warm  it  a  little  prior  to  putting  into 
No.  (3)  ;  now  draw  out  and  immerse  in  No.  (3)  for 
10  minutes,  ac/itatinof  the  mass  the  whole  time. 
After  the  lapse  of  10  minutes  lift  out,  dip  into  cold 
water   to  cool   it,    and   spread  on   a   tloor  to  dry. 

^  The  grain  may  be  put  in  open  canvas  bags  for  immersion. 


30  FUNGOID  DISEASES 

Water  from  No.  (i)  is  used  to  keep  up  the  bulk 
and  temperature  of  Nos.  (2)  and  (3).  If  properly 
carried  out  the  warm  water  not  only  kills  the  spores 
of  bunt  or  smut,  but  also  favours  subsequent  ger- 
mination of  the  ofrain. 

Necessary  Precautiojis . — 

{a)  Maintain  the  temperature  of  the  water  in 
No.  (3)  vessel. 

(b)  Never  have  it  above  130''  F.  for  barley,  the 
embryo  of  which  is  easily  injured  by  higher  tem- 
peratures. 

{c)  Never  allow  it  to  rise  above  135°  F.  for  other 
ofrain. 

(d)  Have  the  volume  of  water  at  least  eight  times 
as  large  as  that  of  the  sack  containing  the  grain. 

[e)  Do  not  fill  the  sack,  but  allow  free  movement 
of  the  grain. 

(/)  Keep  the  grain  in  No.  (3)  exactly  10  minutes. 

iyg)  Do  not  leave  in  a  thick  layer  after  treatment, 
but  spread  out  to  dry. 

With  a  badly  infested  sample  of  wheat  the  bunted 
grains  should  be  removed  by  throwing  the  whole  in 
water — they  float  on  the  surface  and  may  be 
skimmed  off. 

(B)  Jensens  Modified  Hot  Water  Treatment  for 
Loose  Smut  of  Barley  and  Wheat. — Soak  the 
grain  in  cold  water  (60°  to  70°  F.)  for  4  or  5 
hours  ;  remove,  dip  for  a  moment  into  a  vessel 
of  water  at   120°   F.,  then   for  barley  immerse  for 


GENERx^L  INFORMATION  :;i 


0 


13  minutes  in  water  at  126°  F".  and  for  wheat 
10  minutes  at  129°  F.,  remove  to  cold  water  and 
dry  rapidly.  If  the  grain  is  to  be  sown  immediately, 
dry  only  enough  to  permit  of  sowing,  otherwise  dry 
completely.  An  accurate  (tested)  thermometer 
should  be  used.  Decrease  the  time  by  about  4 
or  5  minutes  for  each  degree  in  temperature  above 
those  stated,  but  In  no  case  exceed  129°  F.  for 
barley  and  131°  F.  for  wheat.  Increase  the  time 
by  the  same  amount  for  each  degree  below  the 
temperature  recommended,  but  do  not  let  the  tem- 
perature fall  below  121°  F.  The  grain  should  be 
put  in  wire  baskets  and  constantly  agitated  so  that 
the  grains  may  all  be  heated.  The  temperature 
should  be  watched  closely  and  kept  up  to  the  de- 
sired degree  by  additions  of  hot  water. 

6.  Solution  of  Potassium  Sulphide  [Live?'  of 
Sulphur). — This  solution  loses  strength  on  standing 
and  is  best  prepared  as  required  for  use  in  the  fol- 
lowing proportions  : — 

Potassium  sulphide         .  .      2  oz. 

Water    .  .  .  .  .4  gallons 

Mix  In  a  wooden  vessel  and  apply  by  means  of 
a  syringe  or  sprayer  on  a  calm  day,  to  goose- 
berry and  rose  trees  which  are  suffering  from 
mildew. 

7.  Corrosive  Sublimate  Solution. — This  solution 
may  be  used  as  a  preventive  for  scab,  but  it  is  now 
in  many  cases  supplanted  by  the  more  convenient. 


32  FUNGOID  DISEASES 

and  equally  effective,   formaldehyde  solution.       It 
should  be  prepared  in  the  following  proportions  : — 
Corrosive  sublimate        .         .      i  oz. 
Water    ...  .         .     7  gallons 

For  scab  and  other  superficial  diseases  of  the 
potato,  soak  the  tubers  in  this  solution  for  ij 
hours  at  least  4  weeks  prior  to  planting.  This 
solution  must  be  used  for  Rhizoctonia  disease  of 
potatoes  as  formaldehyde  solution  is  ineffective. 
Corrosive  sublimate  is  a  deadly  poison,  and  hence 
care  must  be  exercised  in  handling  it. 

8.  FonnaldeJiyde  SohUions. — As  a  preventive  of 
scab  in  potatoes,  bunt  and  some  smuts  in  grain, 
solutions  of  formaldehyde  have  proved  most  effec- 
tual. They  should  be  prepared  in  the  proportions 
stated  below. 

(a)  For  Potato  Scab. 

Formaldehyde  .     i  pint  (40  per  cent  solution) 

Water       .         .         .         .         .        y^i  gallons 

Place  the  potatoes  in  a  coarse  sack,  immerse  in 

the  liquid  for  about  two  hours,  and  then  spread  out 

to  dry.      If  very  dirty  the  seed  potatoes  should  be 

washed  prior  to  treatment. 

(J))  For  Smut  of  Oats  and  covered  Sviiit  of  Barley . 
Formaldehyde  .  i.  pint  (40  per  cent  solution) 
Water  .....  30-40  gallons 
Thoroughly  sprinkle  the  grain  with  the  solution, 
using  a  watering  can  for  the  purpose  while  the 
grain  is  being  turned  over  on  the  floor,  leave  it  in  a 


GENERAL  INFORMATION  33 

heap  covered  with  canvas  for  several  hours  before 
spreading  out  to  dry.  Another  method  is  to  put 
the  grain  in  a  half-filled  sack  and  dip  it  into  the 
solution,  agitating  to  ensure  contact  of  the  solution 
with  the  whole  of  the  grains,  then  drain  and  spread 
out  to  dry. 

(c)  For  Bunt. —  Pour  part  of  the  grain  to  be 
treated  into  the  formaldehyde  solution  ( i  pint  of 
commercial  formalin  to  40-45  gallons  of  water),  and 
stir  so  that  the  bunted  grains  may  all  rise  t(j  the 
top  and  be  skimmed  off  and  destroyed.  Drain  off 
the  solution  into  another  vessel,  then  remove  the 
treated  grain  and  spread  out  to  dry.  Replace  the 
solution,  add  more  grain,  and  proceed  as  before. 

9.  Lime-SidpJmr  Sohition. — This  compound  is 
obtainable  commercially  in  a  concentrated  form, 
or  may  be  made  by  the  user.  It  is  an  excellent 
contact  insecticide,  especially  for  scale  insects  on 
fruit  trees,  but  has  also  great  fungicidal  value  and 
can  be  used  on  some  plants  which  cannot  endure 
copper  fungicides  (e.g.  peach  and  Japanese  i)lums). 
It  should  not  be  used  on  potatoes  nor  on  grapes. 
If  combined  with  poison  for  biting  insects,  the 
best  results  are  obtained  by  using  arsenate  of  lead, 
2-3  lb.  of  the  dry  powdered  form,  or  twice  as  much 
of  the  paste  form,  to  100  gallons  of  the  solution. 
As  a  winter  spray  lime-sulphur  may  be  used  much 
more  concentrated  than  after  the  foliage  appears. 
It  should  be  tested  with  a  Baume  Hydrometer.      It 

3 


34  FUNGOID  DISEASES 

is  used  largely  for  fruit  trees,  and  fuller  details  re- 
garding- its  preparation  will  be  found  in  books 
dealing  with  diseases  of  fruit  trees. 

lo.  Flowers  of  Sulpluir. — This  is  sometimes 
dusted  on  the  leaves  to  check  mildew  attack  on 
small  areas. 

Note. — For  further  information  on  spray  mixtures  and  spray- 
ing machinery,  see  "  New  York  Exp.  Station  Bulletin,"  No.  243  ; 
Pickering,  Gimmingham,  and  Barker,  I.e.  p.  26  ;  also  "  Standard 
Fungicides,"  by  G.  F.  Strawson  (Simpkin,  Marshall  &  Co.). 

Classification  of  Fungi. — The  Vegetable  King- 
dom (following  Engler)  is  divided  into  twelve 
divisions,  the  twelfth  of  which  consists  of  seed- 
bearing  plants,  and  the  tenth  the  true  fungi.  Per- 
haps a  more  natural  arrangement  is  that  of 
Professor  Charles  E.  Bessey,  who  divides  the 
Vegetable  Kingdom  into  fourteen  Phyla.  Of  these 
fourteen  Phyla  the  last  five  represent  different 
groups  of  seed-bearing  plants.  Fungi  are  found 
in  two  distinct  Phyla,  viz.  :  Siphonophycece,  which 
consists  of  two  classes  of  green  alg^e  and  one  class 
{Phy corny cetecs)  of  fungi,  and  CarpoinycetecB  (the 
Higher  Fungi)  containing  three  classes  :  Ascomy- 
cetece  (or  AscosporecE),  Basidiomycetece  (or  Basidio- 
sporece),  and  Teliosporece. 

The  Phy corny cetece  have  no  direct  relationship 
with  the  Higher  Fungi,  but  rather  with  the  green 
algae  belonging  to  the  other  classes  of  the  Phyltim 
— Siphonophycece ;   while  the    Higher  Fungi  have 


GENERAL  INFORMATION  35 

their  closest  relationship  with  the  red  seaweeds 
forming  the  sixth  Phylimi—RJiodophycece. 

Besides  these  four  classes  of  funo^i  there  occur  in 
some  other  classes  of  normally  green  algce  a  few- 
representatives  that  have  assumed  the  fungus 
habit,  e.g.  the  Synchytriacece  in  Class  Protococ- 
coidece  in  the  Phylum  Chlo7vphycece. 

The  four  chief  classes  of  fungi,  however,  are  dis- 
tinguished as  follows  : — 

Class  PhycomycetecB  (Lower  Fungi).  Vegetative 
hyphee  without  cross  walls  (except  in  old  age, 
after  injury,  or  to  set-off  the  reproductive  organs). 
There  are  four  orders  : — 

{a)  Saprolegniales  with  five  or  more  families. 

{b)  Peronosporales  with  two  families. 

{c)  Mticorales  with  four  or  more  families. 

(^d)  Entomophthorales  with  one  or  two  families. 

Class  Ascornycetece  (Sac  Fungi).  Vegetative 
hyphse  septate.  Perfect  stage  of  reproduction 
characterized  by  the  formation  of  ascopores  (usually 
eight  in  number)  in  ovoid  or  cylindrical  sacs  called 
asci.  There  are  fifteen  or  more  orders,  and  over 
one  hundred  families  ;  many  of  them  are  important 
parasites,  and  some  form  the  organisms  known  as 
lichens. 

Class  Basidio)nycetece.  Vegetative  hyphaj  septate. 
Perfect  stage  of  reproduction  with  (usually  four) 
basidiospores  formed  on  short  or  long  stalks  (sterig- 
mata)  from  ovoid  or  club-shaped  basidia.      There 


0 


36  FUNGOID  DISEASES 

are  nine  or  more  orders  and  twenty  to  twenty-five 
families.  The  common  mushroom,  puff-ball,  and 
bracket  or  ear  fungi  belong  to  this  group. 

Class  Teliosporece.  Vegetative  hyph^e  septate. 
Parasitic  for  the  whole,  or  most  of  the  life  cycle. 
Perfect  stage  of  reproduction  by  the  production  of 
teliospores  (teleutospores  or  sometimes  chlamydo- 
spores)  which  bear  on  germination  a  short  pro- 
mycelium  on  which  are  borne  sporidia.  This  class 
is  often  merged  with  the  preceding  as  a  sub-class  in 
which  the  pro-mycelium  and  sporidia  are  called 
basidium  and  basidiospore  respectively. 

Two  orders — Ustilaginales  the  smuts  (with  two 
families,  Ustilaginacece — the  smuts,  and  Tilletiacecc 
— the  bunts),  and  Uredinales  the  rusts  with  three 
families. 

Besides  these  there  is  recoo^nized  an  artificial 
group,  the  Fungi  Imperfecti,  consisting  of  fungi  of 
which  only  the  vegetative  or  conidial  stage  is 
known,  the  perfect  stage  probably  belonging  most 
frequently  to  the  Asconiycetece  but  in  some  cases 
to  the  Basidiomycetece.  There  are  three  or  four 
orders  and  about  ten  families. 

The  accompanying  table  represents  a  schematic 
arrangement  of  the  Vegetable  Kingdom,  illustrating 
by  the  relative  areas  of  the  classes  the  relative 
number  of  species  in  each,  while  the  solid  lines 
represent  their  probable  relationships  within  the 
various  phyla  and  the  broken   lines  the  probable 


GENERAL  INFORMATION 


.-)/ 


f  13 

I   Til 


Fig.  7. — Schematic  arrangement  of  the  vegetable  kingdom  ;  for  explana- 
tion see  p.  38. 


38  FUNGOID  DISEASES 

relationship  of  the  phyla.  The  classes  represented 
by  the  shaded  areas  are  those  that  are  chlorophyll 
bearing,  while  the  classes  of  fungi  are  left  unshaded. 
Classes  1-7  and  9-14  are  aquatic,  being  the  Algce  ; 
18  and  19  are  respectively  Mosses  and  Liverzvorts  ; 
20-26  inclusive  are  Ferns  and  Fe7it  allies ;  28  are 
Cycads ;  31  are  Conifers ;  32  Monocotyledons ;  and 
33  Dicotyledons.  Class  8  is  the  Phycomycetece  ;  15 
the  AsconiycetecB  ;  16  the  Telio spore ce  ;  and  17  the 
Basidiomycetece ;  while  F.L  represents  the  Fungi 
Imperfect  i. 

The  classes  omitted  (22,  24,  27,  29  and  30)  are 
chiefly  fossil  plants,  so  that  their  relative  size 
cannot  be  shown  on  the  table,  which  aims  to  show 
the  relative  number  of  species  now  existent. 


CHAPTER  II. 

FUNGOID  DISEASES  OF  CEREALS  AND  GRASSES. 

I.  Smuts.  Class:  Teliospore^  ;  Order:  Us- 
TiLAGiNALES  ;  Family  :  Ustilaginace^. 

Smut  is  also  known  to  the  farmer  as  dust  brand, 
chimney  sweeper,  sleek,  slean,  etc. 

The  cause  of  all  smut  of  the  small  o-rains  was 
previously  set  down  to  a  single  species  to  which  the 
name  Ustilago  cai^bo  was  given  :  recent  research 
has  shown  that  the  smut  of  different  trenera  of 
grasses  is  caused  chiefly  by  species  of  Ustilago,  but 
in  many  cases  of  other  genera  as  well.  The  econ- 
omically important  forms,  however,  are  mostly 
species  of  Ustilago. 

(a)  Oat  Smut i^Ustil ago  Avence)} — Much  damage 
is  caused  in  certain  districts  by  this  fungus. 

Symptoms. — Plants  which  up  to  the  time  of  the 
appearance  of  the  ear  have  looked  quite  healthy 
are  found  to  produce,  instead  of  grain,  a  brownish 
black  powder,  which  is  easily  carried  and  distributed 
by  the  wind,  leaving  nothing  but  the  bare  straw  at 
harvest  time. 

'  A  closely  related  species,  U.  Icevis,  has  been  found  along  with 
this  species,  the  spores  of  which  are  perfectly  smooth. 

39 


40 


FUNGOID  DISEASES 


Ca7ise. — Examined  under  the  microscope  the 
above  brown  powder  is  found  to  consist  of  myriads 
of  spores  (chlamydospores  or  teliospores)  of  the 
fungus  Ustilago  AvencB. 

Each  spore  is  rounded  and  has  two  coats,  but  the 
spores  are  free  from  the  fishy  odour  which  accom- 


A  B 

Fig.  8. — Oat  smut  {Ustilago  Aveim)  :  (A)  Portion  of  healthy  ear  of  oats; 
(B)  Portion  of  smutted  ear  ;  notice  that  the  spikelets  are  very  irregular 
in  shape  and  blackened  with  the  spores  of  the  fungus. 

panics  the  spores  of  bunt  (see  p.  47).  The  spores 
germinate  readily  in  water,  and  dung  heaps  also 
form  a  suitable  medium  for  arowth. 

Since  the  spores  are  distributed  before  harvest, 
some  are  blown  on  to  the  healthy  ears,  but  no  de- 
velopment takes  place  until  the  grain  is  sown  the 
following  spring.     The  grain  and  the  spore  germin- 


DISEASES  OF  CEREAES  AND  GRASSES     41 

ate  together,  the  former  producing"  a  young  plant, 
the  latter  a  short  hypha,  the  pro-mycelium  (see  Fig. 
9,  A)  and  conidia. 

The  conidia,  on  trermination,  form  a  eerm  tube 
capable  of  penetrating  the  tissues  of  the  oat  plant, 
but  only  at  this  young  stage.  The  plant  suffers  no 
apparent  effect  from  the  intruder.     Hecke,  however, 


Fig.  9. — (A)  spores  of  Ustila^o  Avencr  :  (B)  a  spore  germinating  in 
nutritive  solution  ;  notice  the  septate  pro-mycelium  (/>)  with  the  oval 
conidia  (c)  at  the  side;  (C)  spores  of  Tillctia  Tritici  :  (D)  the  same 
germinating,  producing  a  short  pro-mycelium  with  a  wisp  of  long 
conidia  (/)  at  the  end.     (Magnified  about  300  times.     After  Brefeld.) 

has  shown  that  the  ear  may  be  infected  by  moisten- 
ing with  water  containing  smut  spores  ("Journal 
B.  of  Agr.,"  Feb.,  1906,  Vol.  12,  [)ag(^  699). 
The  hyph:e  grow  actively  in  the  growing  [)oint  of 
the  stem,  and  when  the  ear  begins  to  be  formed, 
they  break  up  to  form  the  sooty  powder  (i.e.  the 
spores),  thus  revealing  the  presence  of  the  para- 
site, 


42  FUNGOID  DISEASES 

Preventive  Measures. — 

1.  Copper  solutions,  p.  28. 

2.  Hot  water  treatment,  p.  29. 

3.  Formaldehyde  treatment,  p.  32.  This  is  the 
best  of  all. 

(K)  Barley  Smiits^ — (i)  Naked  or  loose  smut 
{Ustilago  nuda)  =  U.  Hordei  {^rd)  ;  (2)  covered 
smut  ( Ustilago  Jensenii  ( Rostr .)) . 

(i)  Naked  Smut. — Of  the  two  this  is  the  more 
common  in  Great  Britain.  The  spores  are  dis- 
persed before  harvest.  Infection  takes  place 
through  the  flowers,  the  mycelium  entering-  the 
ovary,  where  the  grains  become  infected.  The 
diseased  grain  produces  a  plant  in  whose  growing 
point  the  fungus  progresses,  destroying  the  ear 
when  formed. 

Prevention. — Treatment,  to  be  effective,  must  de^ 
stroy  the  fungus  within  the  grains  without  injuring 
the  vitality  of  the  latter,  this  is  possible  with  the 
modified  hot-water  treatment  of  Jensen.  (See  fur- 
ther note  under  wheat  smut.) 

(2)  Covered  Snint. — Here  the  bulk  of  the  spores 
is  not  distributed  before  harvest.  The  ear  may  re- 
main within  the  upper  part  of  the  sheath  practically 
intact,  except  that  instead  of  the  healthy  grain,  smut 
spores  are  formed  and  surrounded  by  the  fertile 
glumes.  Infection  takes  place  at  the  seedling  stage 
from  spores  adhering  to  the  grain,  hence  treatment 
of  the  grain  with  fungicides  is  effective. 

Prevention. — Treat   the  grain    prior    to   sowing 


DISEASES  OF  CEREALS  AND  GRASSES     43 


with  ^  per   cent   solution   of  copper   sulphate  (see 
page  29)  or  with  formaldehyde  solution  (p.  32). 

(c)  Wheat  Smut  { Ustilago  Tritici)^ 

This  is  sometimes  called  loose  smut,  and  must 
not  be  confused  with  bunt  (stinking  smut)  (see  p.  45). 
The  mycelium  uses  up  not  only  the  nutriment  in- 
tended for  the  development  of  the  grain,  but  the 
chaff  is  also  attacked. 

Prevention. — Difficult  to  combat,  as  copper  or 
formaldehyde  solutions  are  apparently 
ineffective.  It  can,  however,  be  com- 
pletely controlled  by  the  use  of  the 
modified  hot  water  treatment  (p.  30). 
Inasmuch  as  this  is  a  slow  process — 
not  more  than  8-10  bushels  of  grain 
can  be  treated  in  a  day, — it  is  sug- 
ofested  that  sufficient  grrain  be  treated 
each  year  to  plant  a  plot  of  two  or 
three  acres  from  which  the  seed  for 
next  year's  sowing  may  be  obtained. 
This  seed  plot  should  be  planted  away 
from  other  fields  of  wheat  so  as  to 
avoid  infection  of  the  seed  at  blossom- 
ing time  by  the  spores  carried  by  the 
wind  from  such  other  fields. 

(d)  Rye  Snint  ( Urocystis  occultci). 

This  is  seen  in  the  form  of  grey  stripes,  mostly 
on  the  stem  but  also  on  the  leaves,  which  latter 
burst  and  expose  the  black  spores  (Fig.  10). 


Img.  10. — A  ball 
of  spores  of 
Urocystis  oc- 
cnl  t  a  ( r  >■  e 
smut).  In  the 
centre  the  dark 
fertile  spores, 
one  of  which 
has  sent  out  a 
short  pro-my- 
celium (/>)  ; 
these  are  sur- 
rounded  by 
sterile  spores 
(s).  (Highly 
maojnified.) 


44  FUNGOID  DISEASES 

The  germ  tube  is  said   to  be  only  able  to  enter 
the  plant  in  the  young  stage. 
Prevention . — 

1.  Steep  seed  in  copper  solution  (p.  28). 

2.  Jensen's  hot  water  treatment  (p.  29). 
Results  from  the  treatment  of  the  seed  are  by  no 

means  uniform. 

Note. —  i.  Rye  smut  caused  by  Ustilago  Secalis  is  very  rare.  It 
destroys  the  whole  ear. 

2.  Urocystis  Agropyri  forms  black  bands  of  spores  on  couch 
grass,  hungarian  forage  grass,  etc. 

(^)  Maize  Snnit  {Us  til  ago  Maydis)- 
None  of  the  fungi  above  described  cause  such 
malformations  as  U.  Maydis-  Not  only  the  grain 
but  every  part  of  the  plant  is  attacked.  First  white 
wrinkled  patches  appear,  which  swell,  and  later 
burst,  thus  liberating  the  spores.  It  is  definitely 
known  that  the  plant  can  be  infected  at  a  late  stage 
of  growth  as  well  as  in  youth. 
Preventive  Measures. — 

1.  Sow  grain  from  fields  not  badly  infected. 

2.  Remove  by  hand,  and  burn,  the  smut  masses 
before  they  burst. 

3.  Avoid,  as  far  as  possible,  planting  maize  on 
fields  where  smut  was  serious  the  preceding  year. 

(y)  Brome  Snmt  ( Ustilago  broviivord). 

While  the  above  fungus  may  check  the  growth  of 
the  undesirable  grass  {^Bromtts  mollis)  to  some  extent, 
in  those  meadows  where  it  is  found   in  abundance, 


DISEASES  OF  CEREALS  AND  GRASSES     45 

still  this  smut,  like  the  rest,  must  ])e  looked  upon  as 
all  undesirable  quantity.  The  amount  of  the  brown 
powder  (smut  spores),  shed  on  the  g"rass  and  hay, 
causes  the  latter  to  become  so  black  as  to  make  it 
doubtful  whether  it  is  wise  to  feed  such  hay  to 
stock.  The  oflumes — chaff — are  said  not  to  be 
attacked,  but  the  writer  has  seen  whole  areas  of 
smutted  brome  grass  with  the  glumes  also  attacked  ; 
perhaps  this  was  caused  by  a  variety  of  the  above 
species.  Instead  of  the  grass  seed  a  mass  of  spores 
is  produced. 

Prez  'eiUive  Measu  res,  — 

1.  Soft  Brome  {Broniits  mo//is)  is  an  undesirable 
annual  plant,  therefore  pasture  for  a  year  or  two, 
and  keep  from  seeding. 

2.  Apply  manures  to  improve  the  quality  of  the 
herbage. 

(o-)    Tall  Oat  Grass  Smut  ( Ustilago  pcrciuians) . 

This  is  widespread  and  of  frequent  occurrence. 
The  mycelium  rests  over  winter  in  the  rhizome, 
i.e.  below  the  surface. 

Prevention.  —  Hot  water  treatment  of  the  seed 

(P-  29)- 

II.    Bunt   {Tilletia    Tritici'),     Class:    Telios- 

PORE.E  ;    Order  :    Ustilaginales  ;    Family  :    Til- 

LETIACE/E. 

Bunt,    or,    as    it    is    sometimes    called,    stinking 

1  Kiihn  describes  a  species  T.  licvis,  which  causes  bunted  grains, 
and  differs  from  T.  Tritici  only  in  having  smooth  spores. 


46 


FUNGOID  DISEASES 


smut,  is  one  of  the  most  objectionable  diseases  of 
cereals.  It  destroys  a  number  of  ears,  and  at  thrash- 
ing the  remaining  healthy  grains 
become  covered  with  the  black 
spores,  thus  spoiling  the  taste  and 
colour  of  the  flour  made  therefrom  ; 
while  the  straw  and  chaff  are  made 
distasteful  to  stock. 

Symptoms . — It  is  only  with 
difficulty  that  bunted  ears  can  be 
distinguished  from  healthy  ones  at 
harvest  time.  The  bunted  ears 
are  broader,  the  glumes  more  open, 
and  the  grains  have  a  greyish  colour 
(see  Fig.  ii).  The  opening  of 
the  glumes  is  due  to  the  increased 
breadth  of  the  bunted  ^rain  en- 
cased  within  (Fig.  12,  B).  Some- 
times the  grains  are  cracked ;  this 
reveals  the  inner  contents,  viz.  a 
black  mass  of  spores  of  the  fungus. 
These  spores  have  a  strong  fishy 
odour  due  to  the  presence  of  tri- 
methylamine. 

Catise. — The  bunted  orrains  are 
caused  by  the  formation  of  the 
spores  of  the  fungus  (Zl  Tritici)  from  mycelium 
which  had  entered  the  wheat  plant  in  the  early 
stage  and  grown  up  with  it. 


I'lG.  II. — A  diseased 
ear  of  wheat  show- 
ing the  dark  col- 
oured bun  ted  grains 
enclosed  within  the 
glumes  (somewhat 
diagrammatic). 


DISEASES  OF  CEREALS  AND  GRASSES     47 


The  spores  are  fairly  large  and  round,  with  a 
reticulated  surface  (see  Fig.  9,  C  and  D). 

According  to  Kiihn  the  germ  tube  from  both  the 
primary  and  the  secondary  conidia  is  able  to  enter 
the  host  plant,  grow  within  its  tissues,  and,  at  the 
time  of  grain  formation,  produce  bunted  ears. 


A  B  C 

Fig.  12. — Grains  of  wheat:  (A)  shows  the  shape  of  the  healthy  grain; 
(B)  shape  of  a  bunted  grain  ;  note  how  much  broader  it  is  than  the 
healthy  one  ;  (C)  longitudinal  section  of  a  bunted  grain  showing  the 
black  mass  of  bunt  spores  enclosed. 

Some  of  the  differences  between  smut  and  bunt 
are  enumerated  below  : — 

Smut. 


Spores  distributed  before 

harvest. 
Spores       small,        coats 

smooth. 
Spores  odourless. 


oerminate 

c5 


in 
nutritive 


Spores 

water     and 
media. 

Germinating  spores  pro- 
duce a  four-celled  pro- 


BUNT. 

Grain  still  intact  at  har- 
vest. 

Spores  large  with  reti- 
culated coats. 

Spores  strong  hshy 
odour. 

Spores  germinate  in 
water  but  not  in  nutri- 
tive media. 

Pro-mycelium  shorter, 
conidia  longer  and  in 


48  FUNGOID  DISEASES 

Smut.  Bunt. 

mycelium     with     oval  a    group    at    the    end 

coiiidia    at    the    side         (Fi^-  9»  C). 
(Fig.  9,  B). 
Conidia      multiply      by     No  budding  of  conidia. 
buddintr. 
Preventive  Measures. — 

1 .  Treat  with  copper  solution  (see  p.  28). 

2.  Hot  water  treatment  (see  p.  29). 

3.  Treat  with  formaldehyde  solution,  which  is  the 
most  satisfactory  and  is  easily  applied  (see  p.  32). 

Note. — Various  species  of  Tilletia  attack  the  leaves  and  fruits 
of  other  cultivated  plants,  but  space  does  not  allow  of  their  descrip- 
tion. 

III.  "Rusts."  Class:  Teliosporej-:  ;  Order: 
Uredinales. 

Enormous  damage  is  done  annually  to  our  wheat 
crops  by  the  ravages  of  the  rust  fungi ;  and  this 
notwithstanding  that  there  are  varieties  of  wheat 
on  the  market  which  are  practically  resistant  to  the 
disease.  It  is  earnestly  to  be  hoped  that  the 
efforts  of  the  biologist  at  the  School  of  Agriculture, 
Cambridge  University,  to  obtain,  by  crossing,  rust- 
resisting  varieties  possessed  of  that  "strength" 
which  the  miller  desires,  will  be  crowned  with  suc- 
cess. Since  the  above  was  written  a  variety  (Little 
Joss)  having  these  qualities  has  been  obtained. 

A  few  of  the  most  important  rusts  are  described 
below. 


DISEASES  OF  CEREALS  AND  GRASSES     49 

(a)  Rztst  and  Mildew  of  Wheat  [Puccinia  gram- 
inis). 

Many  varieties  of  wheat  are  attacked. 

Symptoms, — The  leaves  of  attacked  plants  turn 
a  pale  yellow  colour  in  early  summer,  and  later 
elongated  reddish-orange  spots  appear  on  the  leaf, 
sheath,  and  the  stem.  These  spots  turn  a  much 
darker  colour  in  the  late  summer  (see  Fig.  13). 


Fig.  13. — Rust  of  wheat  {Pnccinia  graminis) :  (A)  showing  the  small 
pustules  covering  the  wheat  leaf;  (B)  section  through  a  pustule  from 
(A);  (»)  uredospore  ;  (t)  teleutospore ;  (5)  surface  cell  of  wheat  leaf. 

Cause. — This  disease  is  caused  by  the  fungus 
Puccinia  graminis,  which  has  a  very  interesting, 
but  complex,  life  history  ;  for  it  apparently  usually 

4 


50  FUNGOID  DISEASES 

utilizes  but  probably  does  not  require  two  host  plants 
on  which  to  complete  its  life  cycle  (see  p.  51). 

The  reddish-yellow  pustules  above  mentioned  are 
due  to  the  fungal  threads  breaking  through  the 
epidermis  and  bearing  the  orange-coloured  spores 
called  uredospores  (Fig.  13,  B).  These  are  the 
summer  spores  ;  they  are  thin  walled,  light  coloured, 
and  one  celled,  and  are  easily  carried  by  the  wind 
to  healthy  wheat  plants,  on  the  leaves,  leaf  sheaths, 
and  stems  of  which  they  germinate.  They  send  out 
a  oferm  tube  which  enters  and  ramifies  within  the 
tissues,  branches  and  rebranches,  finally  breaking 
through  the  surface  and  producing  the  yellow 
pustules. 

The  darkening  of  the  pustules  is  due  to  the  for- 
mation of  another  kind  of  spore — teleutospore  or 
teliospore — from  the  same  mycelium  (see  Fig.  13,  B). 
These  teleutospores  are  longish  oval,  two  celled,  and 
have  a  thick  outer  wall  They  are  borne  on  a  stalk 
about  the  same  length  as  the  spore,  and  rest  over 
winter.  In  the  spring  they  germinate,  each  cell 
sending  out  a  hyphal  thread  which  branches  at  the 
tip  and  forms  four  sterigmata,  on  each  of  which  a 
conidium  (sporidium  or  basidiospore)  appears.  This 
basidiospore  appears  to  be  incapable  of  infecting  the 
wheat  plant,  but  it  is  able  to  penetrate  the  leaf  of 
the  barberry  [Berberis  vulgaris),  develop  within, 
and  in  a  short  time  produce  small  flask-shaped  bodies 
called  spermogonia  on  the  upper  surface  of  the  leaf. 


DISEASES  OF  CEREALS  AND  GRASSES     51 

• 
These  contain  spores,  but  their  use  is  not  definitely 

known.  On  the  under  side  of  the  leaf,  at  the 
same  time,  cup-like  openings  appear,  called  cecidia. 
These  eecidia  are  seen  as  reddish-yellow  raised 
patches,  and  they  are  filled  with  ai^cidiospores. 
The  secidiospores  are  roundish  cells  with  smooth 
outer  coats ;  they  retain  their  power  of  growth  for 
a  short  time  only.  They  may  germinate  on  the 
barberry  leaf,  but  the  germ  tube  does  not  enter  ; 
if,  however,  they  are  carried  by  the  wind  to  the 
stem  or  the  leaf  sheath  of  the  wheat  plant,  the 
germ  tube  readily  enters  the  inner  tissues,  develops, 
and  in  the  course  of  8  to  10  days  aerial  hyphae 
break  through  the  surface  and  bear  at  the  tip  the 
uredospores  ;  which  in  mass  appear  as  red  pustules. 
These  uredospores  are  readily  carried  by  the  wind 
to  healthy  wheat  plants,  thus  causing  infection. 

Experiments  in  America  have  demonstrated  that, 
in  that  country  at  least,  the  rust  is  able  to  survive 
the  winter  on  the  over-wintering  wheat  plants,  pro- 
ducing an  abundance  of  uredospores  in  the  spring, 
so  that  the  presence  of  the  barberry  is  not  an  es- 
sential for  the  maintenance  of  the  disease.  Indtted 
it  has  been  found  that  sometimes  the  mycelium 
remains  alive  in  the  seed,  and  so  infects  the  new 
crop. 

Note. — According  to  Erikson  there  are  six  biological  varieties 
of  P.  gramijiis^  each  having  its  ascidial  stage  on  the  barberry. 

For  preventive  measures  see  p.  54. 

4* 


52  FUx\GOID  DISEASES 

(b)  Golden  or  Spring  Rust  [Ptcccinia  glu- 
niarimi).  (Fig.  14,  C  and  D).  This  rust  was  pre- 
viously considered  as  a  variety  of  P.  riibigo  vera, 
but  Erikson,  as  a  result  of  inoculation  experiments, 
considers  it  a  distinct  species  with  several  bio- 
loofical  varieties. 

The  roundish  uredospores  appear  on  the  leaves 
of  grasses,  in  the  form  of  lemon  to  cadmium  coloured 
irregular  pustules  or  sori.  These  sori  may  spread 
longitudinally,  forming  ultimately  yellow  linear 
markings.  The  teleutospores  are  sparse,  and  in 
the  form  of  fine  brownish-black  stripes. 

The  teleutospores  are  set  on  short  stalks  and 
germinate  in  the  autumn  of  their  formation.  The 
pro-mycelium  is  of  a  bright  yellow  colour — this  dis- 
tinguishes it  from  Puccinia  dispei'sa — which  colour 
disappears  on  the  formation  of  the  sporidia. 

The  cecidial  stage  is  unknown. 

Although  abundant  in  spring,  the  damage  done 
is  not  serious. 

For  preventive  measures  see  p.  54. 

(f)  Broivn  Rust  {Puccmia  rubigo  vera  =  Puccinia 
straminis,  Fuckel  ;  Pnccinia  dispersa,  Erikson). 

This  rust  is  found  chiefly  on  the  leaves  of  rye, 
wheat,  barley,  and  various  grasses,  in  the  form  of 
rust-red,  roundish,  scattered  patches.  The  uredo- 
spores are  much  rounder  than  those  of  P .  graviinis. 

The  teleutospores  are  present  in  the  same  pustule, 
in  fact,  spring  from  the  same  mycelium  ;  they  are 


DISEASES  OF  CEREALS  AND  GRASSES 


3:) 


not  so  dark  in  colour  as  those  of  P.  graininis,  have 
a  much  shorter  stalk,  and  are  not  covered  with  a 
crown  of  paraphyses  or  hairs. 

The  secidia  are  found  on  the  bugloss,  but  are 
not  essential,  for  uredospores  may  be  found  on 
young  wheat  and  rye  plants  in  the  autumn,  and  the 
mycelium  is  undoubtedly  able  to  rest  there  over 
winter,  as  well  as  in  various  grasses,  and  on  account 
of  this  is  most  difficult  to  combat. 


A 


Fig.  14. — (A)  uredospores  of  Piiccinia  graminis  ;  (B)  teleutospores  of 
Piucinia  gi'aininis  :  (C)  UTcdohi^ores  oi  Pticcinia  gliiiiuintHi  :  (D)  tel- 
eutospores of  Puccinia  gluniariim ;  (E)  uredospores  of  Piicciiiia 
coroiiata  ;  (F)  teleutospores  of  Puccinia  coronatd  :  notice  the  crown 
of  spiney  projections  at  the  end.     (All  highly  magnified.) 

For  preventive  measures  see  p.  54. 

(d)  Barley  Rust  [Ptcccinia  suiiplex,  Korn). 
Attacks  barley,   but  the  damage  is    only  slight. 

The  teleutospores  are  mostly  one  celled. 

(e)  Crown  Rust  of  Oats  and  Grasses  [Puccinui 
coronata,  Corda). 


54  FUNGOID  DISEASES 

By  inoculation  experiments   Klebahn  has  shown 
that  there  are  two  distinct  species,  viz. : — 

(i)  Puccinia  coronata — found  on  many  grasses, 
especially  Dadylis  glomerata  (cocksfoot) 
and  Festuca  silvatica,  a  variety  of  sheep's 
fescue, 
(ii)  Puccinia     coronifera — which     occurs      on 
various  grasses,  and  also  on  oats,  but  not 
on  wheat  and  barley. 
The  uredospores  of  P.  coronifera  are  found  on 
the  upper  surface  of  the  leaf  of  oat  plants,  in  the 
form  of  small  orange  coloured  sori.      The  teleuto- 
spores  are  in  the  form  of  minute  greyish  black  spots, 
and  are  characterized  by  a  crown  of  spines  around 
the  end  cell  ;  hence  the  name  ''crown  rust"  (see 
Fig.  14,  F).      Apparendy  they  are  not  able  to  ger- 
minate until  the  spring. 

The  aicidiospores  are  found  on  the  buck- 
thorn. 

Preventive  Measures. — Owing  to  the  di\'ersity  of 
spore  formation,  and  to  the  mycelium  being  within 
the  plant,  the  various  rust  diseases  are  most  difficult 
to  combat.  Spraying  and  pickling  of  the  grain 
are  quite  out  of  the  question,  hence  any  recom- 
mendations must  of  necessity  be  of  a  general 
character. 

1 .  Avoid  heavy  dressings  of  nitrate  of  soda,  give 
small  amounts  along  with  superphosphate. 

2.  Select  varieties  which  show  least  susceptibility 


DISEASES  OF  CEREALS  AND  GRASSES 


D!) 


to  rust  and  still  maintain  the  other  essential  char- 
acters, e.g.  Little  Joss. 

3.  Sow  autumn  grain  somewhat  late,  and  put  in 
spring  sown  early. 

4.  Drain  the  land. 

5.  Climatic  conditions  have  their  influence,  but 
are  beyond  control, 

Note. — A  large  number  of  rust  fungi  attack  various  garden 
plants  and  would  have  been  described  had  space  allowed. 

IV.  Ergot  {Claviceps  purpurea).  Class:  As- 
COMYCETE.E  ;  Order  :  Pyrenomycetales, 

Found  on  cereals  and  grasses,  but  especially 
common  on  rye  and  rye  grass.  This  fungus  pre- 
vents healthy  development  of  the  grain,  and  the 
sclerotia  contain  poisonous  substances — ergotin  and 
cornutin^ — -which  are  said  to  be  injurious  to  stock. 

Symptoms. — -Ergotted  ears  have  large  black 
bodies — the  sclerotia — taking  the  place  of  some  ot 
the  grains,  and  projecting  beyond  the  other  parts, 
making    diseased    ears    easily    recognizable    (Fig. 

15.  A). 

Cause. — The  above  sclerotia  are  the  resting 
bodies  of  the  fungus  Claviceps  purpurea  which  has 
taken  up  its  abode  in  the  ear,  thus  causing  the 
disease.  \\\  early  winter  they  fall  to  the  ground, 
and  can  withstand  drought  and  cold,  hi  spring 
they  germinate  ^  in  the  soil,  giving  rise  to  numerous 

^  May  be  collected  and  germinated  in  the  laboratory  in  moist 
sand. 


56 


FUNGOID  DISEASES 


mushroom-like    outgrowths    called    stromata    (see 
Fig.  15,  B)  with  violet  stalks  and  yellow  heads. 

These  heads  contain  numerous  flask-like  bodies 
— perithecia — with  the  narrow  part  pointing  out- 
wards (see  Fig.  15,  C  and  D)  and  containing 
numerous  asci  (spore  cases).      Each  ascus  encloses 


Fig.  15. — (A)  Ryegrass  affected  with  Claviceps  purpiii'ca  :  (5)  sclerotiuni  ; 
(B)  germination  of  a  sclerotium  (s^)  stroma  ;  (C)  longitudinal  section 
through  a  stroma  showing  the  perithecia  (/>)  containing  asci ;  (D) 
perithecium  more  highly  magnified  showing  the  position  of  the  asci 
(a);  (E)  an  ascus  very  highly  magnified;  (5)  the  ascospores.  (After 
Tulasne.) 

eight  long,  slender  ascospores  (Fig.  15,  E).  When 
the  ascospores  are  carried  by  the  wind  to  the  base 
of  the  floret  of  the  host  plant,  they  send  out  a 
germ  tube  which  enters  the  ovary  and  produces  at 
the  same  time  a  mycelium  externally  bearing 
numerous  conidia.     A  sugary  substance  is  secreted 


DISEASES  OF  CEREALS  AND  GRASSES 


D/ 


by  this  mycelium — sometimes  called  the  honey 
dew  stage  ;  this  entices  bees,  which  carry  away,  on 
their  legs,  the  conidia  to  healthy  grass  tlowers, 
where  they  readily  germinate,  enter  the  ovary, 
form  honey  dew  and  conidia,  and,  like  the  first 
mycelium,  when  the  food  supply  becomes  ex- 
hausted, i.e.  towards  autumn,  form  the  sclerotia  by 
interlacing  and  repeated  branching.  The  shrivelled 
ovary  may  often  be  found  at  the  end  of  the 
sclerotium. 

Preventive  Measures. — 

1.  Collect  as  many  sclerotia  as  possible  and  sell 
to  the  chemist. 

2.  Do  not  allow  grass  in  pastures  and  waste 
places  to  seed. 

3.  Cut,  collect,  and  burn  grass  parcels  which  are 
ergotted. 

4.  Drain  land  well  and  improve  the  herbage  so 
that  it  will  be  well  eaten  down. 

5.  Sow  seeds  free  from  ergot. 

V.  Smother  Fungus  of  Grasses  [Jipic/i/oe 
typhina).     Class:  Ascomycetej:  ;  Order:  Pyrkno- 

MYCETALES. 

This  is  frequently  found  in  abundance  on  many 
grasses,  especially  meadow  foxtail  [A/opciiinis 
pratensis)  and  cocksfoot  {Dactylis  glovicrata),  and 
although  not  a  serious  pest,  it  is  said  to  be  injurious 
to  horses  if  eaten  in  abundance. 

Symptoms. — The  upper  leaf  sheath  becomes  sur- 


58  FUNGOID  DISEASES 

rounded  by  an  ochre-coloured  collar,  or  muff-like 
growth,  consisting  of  a  felt  of  fungus  hyphae. 
These  hyphae  penetrate  the  sheath  and  stem, 
filling  up  the  spaces  between  the  two.  The  part 
is  quite  hard  when  cut  through. 

Cause. — The  collar-like  growth  is  caused  by  the 
fungus  Epichloe  typhina,  the  hyphae  of  which  en- 
circle and  penetrate  the  sheath  and  stem.  The 
colour  of  the  collar  darkens  with  age. 

Preventive  Measures. — Very  difficult  to  combat, 
little  beyond  cutting  down  and  destroying  attacked 
oTass  can  be  recommended. 

VI.  Wheat  and  Grass  Mildew  [Erysiphe 
gramims).      Class  :   x\scomvcete.«  ;    Order  :    Peri- 

SPORIALES. 

Wheat  suffers  to  a  larger  extent  than  grasses. 

Symptoms. — During  the  summer  months  die 
leaves  of  grasses  and  wheat  become  covered  with 
greyish-brown,  irregular,  felt-like  patches  on  the 
upper  surface,  consisting  of  the  mycelium  of  the 
fungus  Erysiphe  graminis.  Short  hyphee  arise, 
bearing  conidia  in  chains  (see  Fig.  i6,  C). 

Cause. — The  cause  of  the  peculiar  grey  covering 
is  the  presence  of  the  mycelium  of  Erysiphe.  The 
oval  spores  are  readily  carried  in  the  atmosphere 
to  the  surface  of  the  leaves  of  healthy  plants,  where 
they  germinate  and  set  up  new^  centres  of  infection. 

In  autumn  small  dark-coloured  bodies,  visible  to 
the  naked  eye,  appear   on  the  same  threads   that 


DISEASES  OF  CEREALS  AND  GRASSES      59 


bore  the  conldia  ;  these  are  the  perithecia  contain 
They  remain 


ing  asci. 


attached  to  the  leaves 
until  the  spring,  when 
they  liberate  the  asco- 
spores,  which  on  ger- 
mination again  produce 
the  disease.  But  even 
failing  these  perithecia, 
the  fungus  may  be  found 
on  the  wheat  plant  in 
winter,  where  it  un- 
doubtedly can  remain 
until  the  spring. 

Preventive  Measu  res . 
—  Unfortunately  very 
little  can  be  done. 

1.  Small  areas  may  be  dusted  with  llowers  of 
sulphur,  but  this  is  too  costly  and  impracticable  for 
field  crops. 

2.  Spring  sowing  is  said  to  be  an  advantage. 
VII.   Discoloration  Due  to  Funci. 

{a)  Broivning  of  Wheat  Leaves. — This  browning 
of  the  leaves  is  of  somewhat  frequent  occurrence 
on  the  Continent. 

Symptoms. — Appears  in  spring  on  winter  sown 
wheat  :  the  leaves  turning  somewhat  yellow  at  first, 
and  later  more  to  the  brown,  while  hnally  they  dry 
up.    On  the  brown  surface  small  black  spots  may  be 


Fig.  16. — Portion  of  the  hyphai  ; 
(H)  of  Erysiphc  ^raniinis  bear- 
ing the  oval  conidia  (C)  in  chains. 
(Highly  magnified.) 


6o  FUNGOID  DISEASES 

found,  by  means  of  a  pocket  lens  ;  these  are  the 
fruit  capsules  of  the  fungi  present. 

Cause. — According  to  Frank  the  eight  fungi 
enumerated  below,  which  are  much  alike  externally, 
contribute  to  the  cause  of  this  disease  :  sometimes 
singly,  sometimes  several  of  them  being  concerned. 

(i)  Septoria graniijieum,  Desm. 

(2)  Septo7'ia  briosiana,  Morini. 

(3)  Septoria  ghunaruni^  Pass. 

(4)  Septoria  avencB,  Frank. 

(5)  Ascochyta  graminicola,  Sacc. 

(6)  Phoma  Heiniebei^gii,  Kiihn. 

(7)  Leptosphceria  Tritici,  Pass. 

(8)  SphcB7^ella  exitialis,  Morini. 

Some  of  the  above  fungi  may  also  be  concerned 
in  the  blackening  of  the  grain. 

Little  can  be  done  in  the  way  of  prevention. 

[b)  Leaf  Brown  of  Barley  [Hchninikosporin?n 
gram  inemn ,  Erik.). 

This  disease  is  very  prevalent  on  the  leaves  of 
barley  on  the  Continent,  and  many  crops  in  England 
suffer  from  the  same  cause.  Potter  has  shown 
that  it  is  the  cause  of  "  deaf  ears"  in  barley. 
-Symptoms. —  Elongated,  dark,  brownish-olive 
patches  with  yellowish  circumferences  appear  on  the 
leaf  while  it  is  still  green  ;  these  spread,  especially 
lengthwise,  destroying  the  tissues  until  the  whole 
leaf  becomes  discoloured,  dried,  and  split  up  into 
ribbons.     The  under  leaves  are  attacked  first,  and 


DISEASES  OF  CEREALS  AND  GRASSES     6i 


may  be  very  badly  infested  before  the  ear  appears. 
In  bad  attacks  the  ear  never  gets  out  of  the  sheath. 

Cause. — The  appearance  of  this  disease  is  often 
due  indirectly  to  adverse  weather  conditions 
weakening-  the  plant,  but  directly  to  the  fungus 
H .  gramineimi,  which  penetrates  and  destroys  the 
tissues.  How  winter  is  passed  over,  and  how  in- 
fection takes  place  the  following  spring,  is  not 
known. 

Preventive  Measures. — No  definite  means  of  pre- 
vention are  known.  Spraying  with  different  fungi- 
cides has  been  carried  out  at  Cambridge,  but  the 
results  are  not  very  promising. 

{c)  Blackening  of  Straiv  and  Black-ended  Inxrlcy 
( Cladosporiu77t  herbarM7n ) . 

Fungi  hnperfecti ;  Order 

With  humid  weather 
conditions  the  straw  of 
wheat,  oats,  and  barley 
becomes  a  black  or  greyish 
colour.  In  some  cases  the 
o-rain  also  becomes  black- 
ened,  hence  the  term 
"  black-ended  barley  "  (see 
Fig.  17);  such  barley  being 
considerably  reduced  in  value. 

Cause. — With  moist  conditions  the  mycelium  of 
C/adosporiMm  herbarum  grows  abundantly  on  and 
in  vegetable  matter.     This  fungus  is  widespread. 


M  ON  I U  ALES. 


Fig.  17. — Black-ended  barley  : 
(A)  healthy  grain  ;  (H)  black- 
ended  grain,  caused  by  the 
fungus  Clatlosporiiiiii  her- 
bnrnm. 


62  FUNGOID  DISEASES 

It  causes  the  blackening  of  the  moist  cloths  of  the 
cheese-maker. 

P7'eventive  Measures. — On  account  of  the  wide- 
spread nature  of  the  fungus  and  the  uncontrollabllity 
of  the  weather,  little  can  be  done  to  check  this 
ubiquitous  pest.  Crops  in  moist  districts  should  be 
cut  early,  and  thrashed  grain  should  be  stored 
perfectly  dry. 

{(i)  Leaf  Brown  of  Oats  i^Helminthospoy'iuni 
teres,    Sacc). 

Fungi    Imperfecti ;    Order :     Moniliales. 

Resembles  in  many  respects  barley  browning, 
except  that  infection  commences  at  the  tip  of  the 
leaf,  spreading  downwards.  The  conidiophores  are 
sino^le,    the    conidia  smaller   and   have    a  greenish 


"  nuance  ". 


A  species  of  Helminthosporiuni  causes  a  blight 
on  the  leaves  of  maize. 

{e)  Grasses. — Small,  raised,  well-defined,  oval 
black  spots,  resembling  in  size  and  appearance  "  fly 
droppings,"  are  formed  on  the  leaf  blades  of  cocks- 
foot and  other  grasses  by  the  fungus  Phyllachora 
graminis.  These  black  spots  contain  the  peri- 
thecia  with  their  spores  enclosed.  Not  of  a  serious 
nature. 

Note. — Space  will  not  permit  of  a  description  of  other  minor 
fungus  diseases  of  grasses  and  cereals. 

For  diseases  of  plants  coming  under  this  section  caused  by  insects, 
see  "  Farm  and  Garden  Insect  Pests,"  bv  Somerville.     M.M.  >k  Co. 


CHAPTER  III. 

FUNGOID  DISEASES  OF  LEGUMINOUS  PLANTS. 

(Peas,  Beans,  etc.) 

I.   Mildews. — 
(a)  Mildew. 
(/;)  Mildew  (false). 
(c)  Mildew  (downy). 

(a)  Mildeiv{^Erysiphe  Martii)}  Class  :  Ascomv- 
CETE^i  ;  Order  :  Perisporiales. 

This  fungus  attacks  various  species  of  Pisuni, 
Lathyi'us,  Vicia,  and  Trifolmm  ;  especially  to- 
wards the  end  of  summer,  doing  considerable  harm. 

Symptoms. — First  observed  as  a  snow-white 
covering  on  the  leaves  while  the  latter  are  still 
green,  later  this  woolly  covering  of  fungus  mycelium 
turns  a  dirty  grey,  and  the  leaf  assumes  a  pale- 
yellow  sickly  colour. 

Cause, — Microscopic  examination  of  a  leal  with 
the  above  symptoms  shows  that  the  cause  is  the 
presence  of  the  fungus  E.  Alar  Hi  (not  to  be  con- 
fused with  false  mildew,  p.   64).       This  fungus    is 

'  This  fungus  also  appears  on  certain  cruciferous  plants. 

63 


64  FUNGOID  DISEASES 

an  obligate  parasite^  ;  when  its  spores  germinate  on 
the  surface  of  the  leaf,  the  germ  tube  branches  and 
rebranches,  forming  the  wool-like  growth.  The 
mycelium  does  not  enter  the  plant,  but  special 
organs  called  haustoria  (see  p.  5)  draw  nutriment 
from  the  host  for  the  fungus.  The  spores  are 
formed  in  chains  from  short  branches  of  the  mycel- 
ium, in  a  similar  manner  to  E . graminis  (Fig.  16). 
When  carried  by  the  wind  to  the  surface  of  healthy 
leaves  they  readily  germinate,^  thereby  setting  up 
new  centres  of  infection.  Later  small,  brownish 
bodies  about  the  size  of  a  pin's  head  are  formed  on 
the  mycelium  on  the  surface  of  the  wilted  dying 
leaves.  These  little  bodies  gradually  become 
black  ;  they  are  the  perithecia  containing  asci  in 
which  the  ascospores  are  formed  and  enclosed.  The 
ascospores  are  set  free  and  carried  by  the  wind  to 
healthy  young  plants  in  the  spring. 

(h)  False  Mildew  [PeronospoJ'a  Trifoliomm  and 
Pe7'onospora  vicice).  Class  :  Phycomycete/E  ;  Order  : 
Peronosporales. 

Peronospora  Trifoliorum  causes  false  mildew  of 
clover  and  lucerne  especially,  but  is  also  found  on 
other  plants. 

P.  vicicB  causes  false  mildew  on  various  leo^um- 
inous  plants,  particularly  vetches  and  peas.     Both 

^  The  spores  may  be  germinated  on  certain  artificial  media,  but 
the  germ  tube  soon  dies,  in  fact  it  is,  up  to  the  present,  impossible  to 
grow  the  fungus  as  a  saprophyte. 


DISEASES  OF  LEGUMINOUS  TLANTS      65 

spread  in   dry  weather  as  well  as  wet,   and  cause 
considerable  damage. 

Symptoms. — Similar  outwardly  to  those  given 
under  true  mildew  above.  A  greyish  white  cover- 
ing of  mycelium  is  seen  on  the  under  surface  of  the 
leaf,  on  the  stem,  and  on  the  leaf  stalk  ;  pinkish- 
grey  spots  appearing  when  the  spores  are  formed. 
The  attacked  plants  turn  yellow  and  thrive  badly. 


Fig.  18. — False  mildew  of  vetches — conidiophore  of  Pcrono%^ora  V'lc'uc 
growing  through  a  breathing  pore  ;  (C)  the  oval  conidia.  (Highly 
magnified.)     (After  Tubeuf.) 

Cause. — -The  yellowish  colour  is  due  to  the  fLingus 
hyphai  ramifying  within  the  tissue  of  the  attacked 
plant  and  depriving  it  of  part  of  its  nourishment 
(compare  Erysiphe,  p.  63).  Tree-like  conidio- 
phores  grow  through  the  breathing  pores  of  the 
leaf,  and  the  conidia  are  formed  at  their  tips  ;  these 
are  able  to  germinate  immediately,  and  when  trans- 
ported may  start  new  disease  areas.  Resting  spores 
with  smooth  coats  are  formed  inside  the  diseased 

5 


66  FUNGOID  DISEASES 

tissue  as  a  result  of  sexual  union  ;  they  are  called 
oospores,  and  germinate  the  following  spring. 

The  above  description  holds  good  for  P.  vicice, 
except  that  its  oospores  have  a  reticulate  thickened 
outer  wall. 

(c)  Downy  Mildew  (^Phytophthora  Phaseoli). 
Class  :  Phycomycete^  ;  Order  :   Peronosporales. 

Damage  to  beans  and  peas  may  be  serious, 
other  plants  are  also  attacked.  Greyish-white 
patches  of  mycelium  appear  on  the  leaves,  stems, 
and  pods  ;  from  this  mycelium  conidiophores  arise 
which  bear  spores  in  a  similar  manner  to  Phyto- 
p  ht  ho  7'a  infest  mis  (see  Fig.  21,  B,  p.  76).  The  my- 
celium also  penetrates  the  inner  tissue,  from  which 
it  derives  its  nourishment. 

Prevention  of  the  dijferent  Mildeivs. — 

1.  Mow    infected    clover  crops  to  save  what 

remains  of  them. 

2.  Spray  with    Bordeaux  Mixture,    repeating 

every  fortnight. 

3.  Washes   of   potassium    sulphide    are    very 

effectual,  but  too  expensive. 

4.  Burn  badly  diseased  parts. 

5.  For   attacks   of  Erysiphe    on    small    areas 

dust  with  flowers  of  sulphur. 

6.  Drain    the  land    well,  for  first  attacks    are 

usually  in  moist  places. 
II.  Rusts.    Class:  Teliospore^;  Order:  Ure- 

DINALES. 


DISEASES  OF  LEGUMINOUS  PLANTS      67 

{a)  Clover  i^Uromyces^  apiculatus,  Schrot.  ;  U. 
Trifolii,  Heel.).— Common  on  red,  white,  and  alsike 
clover.  On  white  clover  uredo-,  teleuto-  and 
aecidiospores  are  formed,  while  on  the  other  two, 
uredo-  and  teleutospores  only.  The  mycelium 
causes  thickening-  and  wrinklino-  of  the  stalk  and 
veins  of  the  leaf. 

(/?)  Beans  {U.  pkaseohvitni).— AW  three  kinds  of 
spores  are  formed ;  haricot  and  scarlet  runner 
beans  are  chiefly  attacked. 

(6")  Peas  [U.  pisi). — Uredospores  and  teleuto- 
spores are  formed  on  different  species  of  Pisitin, 
Latkyrus  and  Vicia,  aecidiospores  on  the  s[)uroe 
{Eicpkorbia). 

(d)  Lucerne  {(J.  siriatus,  Schroeter). — Causes 
rust  spots  on  various  species  of  Medicago,  due  to 
the  formation  of  uredo-  and  teleutospores.  The 
aecidiospores  are  formed  in  the  spurge. 

Preventive  Me  as  n  res . — 

1.  Burnino-  of  infested  areas  is  recommended 

in  each  case  but  is  impracticable. 

2.  Sow  early. 

3.  Keep  down  such  weeds  as  spurge. 

III.  ScLEROTiuM  Disease  of  Clovers  (Scleral inia 
Trifolioruni).   Class  :  Ascomvcete.e  ;  Order  :  Pe/i- 

ZALES. 

This   disease  causes  more   harm    to    our  clover 

^  The  genus  Urotnyccs  differs  from  Puccinia  in  having  one-celled 
teleutospores. 

5* 


68 


FUNGOID  DISEASES 


crops  than  is  generally  imagined,  for  only  when  it 
breaks  out  as  an  epidemic  is  any  notice  taken  of  it. 
Symptoms . — The  attacked  plants  turn  yellowish 
without  any  visible  sign  of  the  cause,  and  gradually 
die  off.  On  examination  of  the  dead  parts,  especi- 
ally the  root  and  part  of  the  stem  at,  or  near,  the 
ground  surface,  the  sclerotia  may  be  seen  as  small 
black  button-like  growths  (Fig.  19,  A,  sc). 


Fig.  ig. — Sclerotium  disease  of  clover:  (A)  portion  of  clover  root  with 
sclerotia  {sc)  attached ;  (B)  a  sclerotium  germinating ;  {t)  the 
trumpet-shaped  stroma  containing  the  spores  ;  (s)  the  soil  level. 
(After  Frank.) 

Cause.— ^\\^  cause  of  the  plants  dying  is  the 
presence  in  their  tissues  of  the  fungus  Sclerotinia 
Trifoliorum.  This  mycelium  absorbs  its  food 
supply  from  the  clover  plant,  thereby  causing 
gradual  starvation.  The  plant  ultimately  dies  and 
shrivels  up,  and  the  fungus,  in  order  to  prepare  for 
emergencies,  forms  sclerotia.  These  sclerotia  can 
rest  over  winter,  in  fact  are  capable  of  growth  after 
being   kept  dry   for   two  or  three   years.      Under 


DISEASES  OF  LEGUMINOUS  PLANTS      69 

favourable  conditions  they  germinate  the  following 
summer,  giving-  rise  to  yellowish-brown  trumpet- 
shaped  growths  (see  Fig.  19,  B).  Inside  the  trum- 
pet shaped  openings  are  numerous  asci  standing 
erect  and  side  by  side.  The  ascospores  are  capable 
of  immediate  germination,  but  their  germ  tube  is 
unable  to  enter  direct  and  live  parasitically,  until 
strengthened  for  a  time  by  saprophytic  nourishni(tnt. 
Preventive  Measures. — 

1 .  Collect  and  destroy  attacked  plants. 

2.  Do  not  grow  clover  too  often  on  the  same 

land. 

IV.  Spot  Disease  of  Peas  {Ascochyta pisi). 

Fungi  hnperfecti ;  Order:  Spileropsidat.es, 

Peas,  possibly  lucerne  and  other  leguminous 
plants,  suffer  from  this  disease. 

Symptoms. — Brown  spots  appear  on  the  pods 
(see  Fig.  20,  s\  leaves,  and  on  the  stems,  at  first 
near  the  ground,  but  later  on  all  parts.  These 
diseased  areas  on  the  stem  often  penetrate  to  the 
water-conducting  tissues  and  cause  the  plant  to  die 
with  symptoms  of  a  "wilt  disease".  On  the  dis- 
coloured areas,  minute  black  dots  (the  picnidia  or 
spore  cases  of  the  fungus)  appear.  On  the  |:)od,  the 
spot  may  penetrate  from  one  side  to  the  other,  de- 
stroying the  enclosed  seed,  or  the  seed  may  be 
infected  without  killino-  it,  so  that  some  (only  a  low 
percentage)  will  germinate,  thus  carrying  the 
disease  over  to  the  following  year. 


70 


FUNGOID  DISEASES 


Cause. — The  disease  is  caused  by  the  parasitic 
fungus  Ascochyta  pisi,  which  destroys  the  tissues, 
producing  discoloured  spots.  The  disease  is  trans- 
mitted in  infected  seeds  (see  Fig.  20,  c  and  b),  and 
also  in  the  diseased  stems  and  leaves,  if  these  are 
allowed  to  remain  on  the  around  over  winter.^ 


Fig.  20. — Pod  of  pea  suffering  from  Spot  Disease  [Ascochyta  pisi)  (s) ; 
below  a  cotyledon  (half  of  a  pea)  (r)  with  diseased  centre  (d). 

Preventive  Measures. — 


Sow  seeds  from  healthy  plants,  or  from 
fields  not  affected  ;  if  suspicious  of  the 
seed,  sow  only  plump  unspotted  seeds. 

Do  not  grow  peas  two  years  in  succession 
on  the  same  field. 


^  Beans,  particularly  haricots,  suffer  from  a  disease  known  as 
anthracnose,  and  caused  by  Colletot?-ichuni  Ii7idemiithia77um.  This 
causes  brown  spots  on  the  pods,  seeds,  and  also  on  the  stem  of 
seedling  plants,  as  well  as  brown  lines  along  the  leaf  veins.  It  is 
not  easily  controlled,  but  the  same  methods  should  be  adopted  as 
for  the  spot  disease  of  peas. 


DISEASES  OF  LEGUMINOUS  PLANTS      71 

3.  Remove  and  burn  all  plants  at  the  close  of 
the  season. 

V.  Violet  Root  Rot  of  Lucerne  i^Rhizoctonia 
violacea) . — Fttngi  Imperfecti, 

According  to  Kiihn,  various  other  plants  are 
attacked,  including  potatoes,  red  clover,  beet, 
mangels,  carrots,  etc.,  but  apparently  cereals  are 
not  susceptible. 

Symptoms, — Yellow  patches  appear  in  the  crop 
quite  suddenly.  Plants  uprooted  from  such  patches 
v/ill  be  found  to  have  the  roots  covered  with  a 
brownish-violet  ofrowth.  In  a  bad  case  the  stems 
may  also  be  attacked. 

Cause,  —  The  facultative  parasite  Rhizoctonia 
violacea  is  responsible  for  the  yellow  appearance  of 
the  crop  and  violet  covering  of  the  roots.  It 
spreads  its  mycelium  over  the  tap  and  side  roots, 
some  of  the  threads  penetrating  the  inner  tissue, 
thereby  robbing  the  plant  of  nourishment,  and 
finally  killing  the  roots  and  causing  the  falling  of 
the  plants. 

So  far  no  spore  formation  has  been  noticed, 
but  sclerotia  may  be  found.  The  mycelium  can 
spread  from  plant  to  plant.  The  fungus  doubtless 
belongs  to  the  Basidiomycetes. 

Preventive  Measitres. — 

1.  The  fungus  grows  best  on  sour  soil,  therefore 
sweetening  the  land  by  liming  checks  its  growth. 

2,  For  the  same  reason  drain  land  well. 


72  FUNGOID  DISEASES 

3.  Keep  down  weeds  which  may  act  as  food 
when  other  plants  are  lacking. 

4.  Dig  over  diseased  spots  deeply  and  apply 
carbon-bisulphide. 

5.  Grow  cereals  on  the  land  for  a  year  or  two. 

6.  Remove  all  diseased  parts  where  this  is  prac- 
ticable. 

(See  "Journal  of  the  Board  of  Agriculture,"  Vol. 
12,  No.  II.  Tubeuf,  p.  219.  Minnesota  Plant 
Diseases,  p.  329.      Massee,  p.  345.) 

VI.  Other  Diseases  of  Lucerne  and  Clover. 

(a)  Disease  of  Crown  of  Roots  [Uropklyctis 
alfalfce).    Class  :  PHYCOMVCETEiE  ;  Family  :  Clado- 

CHYTRIDIACE^. 

The  above  fungus  has  caused  much  harm  to  the 
lucerne  crops  on  the  Continent,  and  was  identified 
by  Salmon  on  lucerne  sent  to  him,  which  was 
ofrown  in  the  Eastern  Counties.  The  funofus 
causes  wart-like  outgrowths  at  the  crown  of  the 
roots,  which  consist  of  hypertrophied  tissue.  In 
these  swellings  there  are  minute  pits  in  which  the 
spores  of  the  fungus  are  found. 

Very  little  is  known  as  yet  as  to  the  method  of 
infection,  and  in  consequence  preventive  measures 
cannot  be  recommended. 

{b)  Diseased  seeds  {^Macivsporium  sarcincBforme\ 
— Fungi  Imperfecti  ;  Order:  Moniliales. 

This  fungus,  which  has  been  known  for  some 
time  to    cause  considerable  damage  to  the  leaves 


DISEASES  OF  LEGUMINOUS  PLANTS      73 

and  stems  of  lucerne  plants  and  clover,  has  been 
found  inside  the  seed  and  causing^  non-cjermination. 
Such  diseased  seed  is  somewhat  shrunk  and 
wrinkled,  and  much  darker  in  colour  than  healthy 
seed. 

The  mode  of  infection  is  not  known,  but  in  all 
probability  it  spreads  from  the  stem  and  leaves  to 
the  seed. 

PrecmUion. — Buy  only  seed  well  harvested  in 
warm  dry  districts,  and  see  that  it  is  plump  and 
bright  in  colour. 

{c)  Leaf  Spots. — i.  Phyllachora  Trifolii,  Pers.  ; 
2.  Pseudopeziza  Trifolii,  Fiickel  ;  3.  Pseudopeziza 
medicaginis,  Lib. 

1.  Phyllachora  Trifolii. — Causes  black  shinin*^- 
spots  on  the  leaves  of  clover,  especially  red  clover. 
These  spots  are  larger  than  those  caused  by 
Pseudo.  Trifolii.  No  satisfactory  preventive  is 
known. 

2.  Pseudopeziza  Trifolii.  —  Causes  yellowish - 
brown  spots  on  the  leaves  of  clovers,  especially  red 
clover.  Serious  damage  may  be  caused  by  this 
fundus.     Preventive  measures  of  no  avail. 

3.  Pseudopeziza  viedicagiuis  is  res[)onsibl('  tor 
the  yellow  spots  on  lucerne  leaves,  and  in  the 
U.S.A.  has  caused  considerable  loss.  P>ec|U(!nt 
cutting  has  been  found  to  prevent  spore  formation, 
and  in  this  way  tends  to  check  the  sj)read  ol  the 
disease. 


74  FUNGOID  DISEASES 

Dodder  {Cuscuta  Trifolit). — This  Is  a  parasitic 
flowering  plant,  iiot  a  ftmgiis.  Its  yellowish  string- 
like stem  winds  around  and  entangles  the  clover 
plant  and  is  sometimes  mistaken  for  a  fungus.  It 
is  rootless,  but  is  able  to  obtain  a  supply  of  food 
through  the  agency  of  haustoria  (suckers)  from  the 
clover  plant,  causing  as  a  result  reduced  growth 
of  the  host  and  finally  death. 

Preventive  Meastires. — 

1.  See  that  samples  of  clover  seed  are  free  from 
the  seeds  of  dodder. 

2.  Dig  up  attacked  patches. 


CHAPTER  IV. 


FUNGOID    DISEASES  OF    POTATOES. 


I.  Potato  Disease  {Phytophthora  infest ans). 
Class  :  PiivcoiMVCETE/E  ;   Order  :    Pekonosporales. 

It  is  also  known  as  potato  blight,  rot,  demic, 
etc.,  all  being-  names  given  to  the  disease  caused  by 
Phytophthora  infestans.  It  was  first  noticed  in  the 
United  States  about  the  year  1840,  and  in  Great 
Britain  in    ICS43.      Serious  damage  was   not   done 


Fig.  21   (A), — Part  of  a  potato  leaf  with  the  dark  disease  spots  caused 

by  PhytophtJioi'n  infestans. 

until  the  wet  summer  of  1845,  when  practically  the 
whole  area  under  potatoes  suffered. 

75 


76 


FUNGOID  DISEASES 


Symptoms. — The  first  sign  of  the  disease  Is  the 
appearance  of  yellowish-brown  thumb-like  marks  on 
the  leaves,    which,  as  digestion  and  decomposition 


H 


Fig.  21  (B). — Cross-section  through  a  leaf  at  one  of  the  diseased  spots  (D) ; 
(U)  upper  and  (L)  lower  side  of  leaf;  (P)  palisade  tissue  ;  (S)  spongy- 
tissue  ;  (W)  the  wall  of  the  plant  cell  ;  (H)  the  hypha  of  the  fungus  ; 
(Co)  the  conidiophores  ;  (C,  C,  C,  C)  the  conidia. 

proceed,  become  darker  In  colour  (Fig.  21,  A). 
Around  the  outer  edge  of  these  spots  a  ring  of  white 
felt-like  growth  may  be  seen  In  very  moist  weather 
on  the  under  side  of  the  leaf  (Fig.  21,  B). 


FUNGOID  DISEASES  OF  FOTATOKS 


// 


Cause.  —  Examination  of  the  above  felted  Lrrowth, 
microscopically,  shows  it  to  be  a  plantation-like 
growth  of  the  funous  PhytophtJiora  infest ans,  bear- 
ing conidia  at  the  tips  and  sides  of  the  branches 
(Fig.  2  1,  B).  These  conidia  are  easily  detached 
and  carried  away  by  the  wind  ;  if  they  fall  on  a 
dry  surface  no  further  development  takes  [)lace. 
Should  they  fall  on  the  moist  surface  of  the  leaf  of 


B  C  D 

Fig.  22. — "  Potato  Disease"  [Pliytophthora  infcstans)  :  (A)  A  conidium 
with  part  of  conidiophore  (c)  attached  ;  (13)  conidium  gerniiiiating, 
having  produced  a  germ  tube  [t)  ;  (C)  a  sporangium  showing  the 
division  into  cells;  (D)  a  sporangium  germinating,  some  of  the  zoo- 
spores [z)  are  already  liberated  ;  notice  the  cilia  or  hairs  (//)  bv  means 
of  which  they  swim  about. 

a  potato  plant,  their  protoplasm  divides,  and  five  to 
ten  zoospores  are  formed  which  subsequently  be- 
come liberated.  Each  zoospore  consists  ot  a 
minute  speck  of  protoplasm  ;  bearing  two  cilia  (hairs) 
by  means  of  which  it  is  able  to  swim  for  a  time. 
It  soon  comes  to  rest,  the  cilia  are  resorbed,  and 
germination  commences  (see  Fig.  22,  A,  B,  C,  and 
D).  The  germ  tube  produced  either  enters  a  stoma, 
or  digests  and  penetrates  the  cell  wall  ot  the  leat  or 
stem  on  which  it  is  found. 


7S  FUNGOID  DISEASES 

Once  inside  the  plant,  the  germ  tube  branches 
and  ramifies  in  all  directions,  piercing  the  cell  wall 
and  causing-  death  of  the  infected  tissues.  The 
hyphcC  in  the  leaf  send  out  aerial  branches  through 
the  stomata  bearing  conidia  (Fig.  21,  B),  which 
become  detached,  carried  in  the  air  to  healthy  plants, 
and  hence  the  rapid  spread  of  the  disease,  for  all 
this  goes  on  in  the  course  of  a  few  days.  Ulti- 
mately the  whole  haulm  succumbs,  Phytophthora 
being  assisted  in  the  later  stages  of  decomposition 
by  other  fungi.  Infection  of  the  tubers  by  the 
spread  of  the  fungus  down  the  stem  to  the  tubers 
is  said  not  to  occur,  but  takes  place,  due  to  the 
conidia,  or  zoospores  produced  in  them,  being 
washed  down  through  the  soil  to  the  young  tubers. 

The  infected  tubers  may  decay  at  once,  or  if 
the  infection  is  but  slight  and  the  soil  not  too  wet, 
they  may  not  decay  until  storage,  especially  if  the 
temperature  be  high  and  the  circulation  of  air 
limited.  Such  decaying  tubers  serve  as  centres  of 
infection,  and  the  whole  of  the  tubers  in  the  imme- 
diate area  may  become  rotten.  If  stored  in  a  cool 
dry  place  with  free  circulation  of  air  the  slightly 
diseased  tubers  survive,  but  when  planted  they 
either  decay  outright,  or  give  rise  to  short  com- 
pletely diseased  shoots  a  few  inches  high,  which 
bear  huge  crops  of  conidia  of  the  fungus  in  their 
short  life,  and  so  infect  the  healthy  plants.  The 
diseased  tubers  show  slightly  sunken  patches  (some- 


FUNGOID  DISEASES  OF  POTATOES       79 

times  called  nailheads)  varying  in  size,  which  when 
the  epidermis  is  scraped  have  a  purple  colour  ;  such 
a  tuber,  if  cut  and  placed  in  a  moist  warm  atmo- 
sphere, will  develop  an  abundance  of  the  fungus 
hyphae  from  these  spots. 

The  oospores  (resting  spores)  are  claimed  by 
W.  G.  Smith  to  have  been  found  by  him  in  1875, 
but  the  matter  remained  in  doubt  in  many  quarters. 
Recently,  however,  Dr.  G.  P.  Clinton'  at  the  Con- 
necticut Agricultural  Station,  and  others  following 
his  methods,  have  succeeded  in  obtaining  oogonia 
and  oospores  in  pure  artificial  cultures  of  the  fungus  ; 
Pethybridge  -  has  shown  that  they  are  identical 
with  the  oospores  formed  by  P.  erythroseptica, 
which  causes  pink  rot  of  potatoes.  It  is  still  un- 
certain whether  these  are  ordinarily  produced  in 
nature,  but  the  fact  that  the  disease  appears  to  be 
equally  as  bad  (sometimes  worse)  on  newly  broken- 
up  land  indicates  that  the  disease  is  not  usually 
carried  over  winter  as  oospores  in  the  dead  leaves, 
etc. 

Preventive  Me  as  u  res.  — 

1.  Plant  sound  seed. 

2.  Plant  seed  of  the  more  resistant  varieties. 

3.  Earth  up  well  so  as  to  prevent  the  conidia 
from  beinor  washed  down  to  the  tubers. 

o 

1  Clinton,  Ti^^/^rA-  Coimecticut  Exp.  Station  (191 1),  and  earlier 
reports  (1905-10). 

2  Pethybridge  and  Murphy,  Sc.  Pro.  Royal  Dublin  Society^  Vol. 
XIII.  (N.S.),  No.  36,  March,  1913. 


8o  FUNGOID  DISEASES 

4.  Do  not  plant  too  closely,  but  allow  light  and 
air  to  enter  :  crowded  plants  keep  moist  longer  and 
are  more  likely  to  suffer  from  the  disease. 

5.  Spray  with  Bordeaux  Mixture  (see  p.  25). 

6.  Collect  and  burn  diseased  haulms  where  this 
is  practicable. 

7.  Boil  diseased  tubers  prior  to  feeding. 

8.  Cutting  off  the  tops  has  been  found  to  reduce 
the  disease  in  some  cases,  but  results  in  a  decrease 
in  the  crop. 

9.  Do  not  dig  tubers  which  are  to  be  stored  until 
at  least  ten  days  after  the  death  of  the  haulms,  so 
that  tubers  already  infected  may  have  a  chance  to 
decay,  while  the  danger  of  infection  of  the  tubers  on 
diofoinor  is  to  a  oreat  extent  avoided. 

II.  Potato  Leaf  Curl  [Macrosporium solaui,  E. 
e t  M, ). ^     Fungi  Impe j'fecti. 

Note. — This  disease  must  not  be  confused  with  the  "  Leaf 
Roll  "  {BlattroUkrankheit)  or  the  "  Curly  Dwarf"  or  ''  Curly  Leaf" 
{Kr'iuselh'ankheit)  so  prevalent  on  the  Continent,  which  are  not 
caused  by  a  fungus,  l3ut  are  due  to  a  physiological  derangement. 

This  disease  is  more  prevalent  in  the  United 
States  (where  it  is  called  early  blight)  and  in 
Continental  Europe  than  in  Great  Britain,  though 
during  dry  seasons  more  harm  is  done  to  our  own 
crops  than  is  generally  imagined. 

Symptoms. — Brown  irregular  patches,  marked  by 
concentric  zones,  are  found  on  the  leaves,  without 

'  This  has  been  claimed  to  form  its  conidia  in  chains  under  cultural 
conditions  and  would  then  be  called  Altc?'iiaria  solani. 


FUxNGOID  DISEASES  OF  POTATOES       8i 

any  visible  appearance  of  the  fungus  (Fig.  23,  A) ; 
later,  dark  patches  consisting  of  masses  of  conidia 
are  seen.  These  conidia  are  dark  coloured,  irreuu- 
lar  in  form,  and  multicellular. 


B 


Fig.  23. — (A)  Potato  leaflet  sufteringfrom  Leaf  Curl ;  notice  the  irregular 
spots  with  concentric  rings ;  (B)  club-shaped  septate  spore  of  Macro- 
sporhim  solani  with  germ  tubes  from  some  of  the  cells;  (C)  peculiar 
forms  of  spores  ;  (A)  slightly  reduced  ;  (B  and  C)  magnified  ;  (B  and  C) 
after  Jones, 

Cause. — The  cause  of  the  disease  is  the  presence 
of  the  fungus  J/,  solani.  Its  mycelium,  which  is 
dark  in  colour,  destroys  the  leaf  tissue,  sometimes 
resulting  in  curling,  and  forms  later,  large  conidia 
on  simple,  or  branched,  conidiophores.  (Fig-  23, 
B  and  C.) 

6 


82  FUNGOID  DISEASES 

Preventive  Measures. — 

T.  Spray  early  with  Bordeaux  Mixture  (p.  25). 

2.    Keep  the  plants  in  good  growing  condition  by 
suitable  manurial  dressings- 

III.  Black  Leg  or  Stem  Rot  [Bacilhtspkyto- 
pktkorus^). — Sometimes  whole  areas  (75  per  cent  of 
the  crop)  become  completely  rotten,  the  late  applica- 
tion of  farmyard  manure  and  moist  warm  weather 
favouring  the  spread  of  the  attack.  Cereals  have 
been  proved  to  be  immune. 

Sympt07ns. — Seen  in  June  and  July,  attacked 
plants  becoming  wilted  and  discoloured  from  below 
upwards,  the  leaves  and  the  stems  below  and  above 
ground  being  affected.  Usually  spreads  quickly 
from  one  plant  to  another,  and  the  sets  may  be- 
come rotten.  The  chief  lesions  occur  in  the  vicinity 
of  the  ground  level,  in  the  form  of  blackened  canker- 
like areas,  hence  the  name  ''  black  leg  ". 

Cause. — Though  various  fungi  are  found  in  the 
tissues,  the  primary  cause  of  the  disease  is  a  small 
parasitic  organism,  Bacillus  pkytopkthor7ts,  which 
destroys  the  living  tissues  of  the  plant ;  it  is  un- 
doubtedly assisted  in  the  later  stages  by  such  fungi 
as  Botrytis  cinerea,  Mucor  and  Fttsaritcni  species, 
and  others. 

^This  does  not  belong  to  the  true  fungi.  A  disease  is  de- 
scribed by  Harrison,  the  symptoms  of  which  resemble  the  above,  under 
the  name  of  Bacillus  solauisaprus  (Cent.  Blatt  f  Bact.,  Bd.  17, 
No.  1-2). 


FUNGOID  DISEASES  OF  POTATOES      83 

Preventive  Measures. — 

1.  Grow  cereals  on  the  land  for  a  few  years. 

2.  Apply  the  farmyard  manure  in  autumn. 

3.  Avoid  forcing  artificial  manures. 

4.  Soak  the  sets  in  Bordeaux  Mixture  prior  to 
planting. 

5.  Treat  the  tubers  before  planting  with  formal- 
dehyde solution  (p.  32). 

Note. — Not  all  plants  with  some  of  the  symptoms  described 
above  are  necessarily  affected  with  the  disease,  as  serious  local  un- 
favourable conditions  may  bring  about  similar  symptoms.  However, 
if  these  symptoms  show  on  a  number  of  plants,  especially  those  of  a 
particular  variety  or  from  a  special  source,  care  should  be  taken  to 
prevent  loss  by  following  the  preventive  measures  suggested. 

IV.  Leaf  Roll  and  Curly  Dwarf. — These  are 
the  names  given  respectively  to  two  diseases  of  a 
serious  nature,  known  in  Germany  by  the  names 
"  Blattrollkrankheit  "  and  "  Krauselkrankheit  ". 
Both  are  so-called  "physiological  diseases,"  not  being 
caused  by  parasitic  organisms.  They  are  trans- 
mitted by  planting  tubers  from  plants  having  the 
disease.  The  disease  appears,  apparently  spontane- 
ously, over  large  areas,  affecting  certain  varieties 
and  leaving  others  untouched,  possibly  climatic  con- 
ditions are  partly  responsible. 

Syniptovis. — (a)  Leaf  Roll,    The  leaves  are  rolled 

upwards   on    the    midrib,   and   yellowish,   or    often 

reddish  or  purplish  in  colour.      The  plants  remain 

small  and  no  tubers  are  formed,  or  at  most  only  a 

cluster  of  small  ones  at  the  base  of  the  stem.     Tubers 

6  * 


84  FUNGOID  DISEASES 

are  often,  though  not  always,  produced  on  the  stem 
above  ground. 

[b)  Curly  Dwa7'f  [or  O/r/y  Leaf).  The  plants 
are  dwarfed,  particularly  the  vascular  parts,  i.e.  stems, 
branches,  petioles,  and  midrib,  and  consequently 
the  leaves  are  crinkled  and  curled  (downward),  the 
few  tubers  produced  are  small. 

Preventive  Measures. — 

1.  Plant  tubers  only  from  healthy  fields. 

2.  Practise  crop  rotation. 

3.  Keep  the  ground  well  cultivated  and  manured, 
and  by  spraying  or  other  means  avoid  weakening 
of  the  stock  by  disease. 

V.  American  Potato  Scab  [Oospora  scabies). 
Fungi  Imperfecti. 

Prevalent  on  light  sandy  soils,  causing  a  decrease 
in  the  value  of  the  sample,  though  they  may  be  of 
excellent  quality  otherwise.  Of  frequent  occurrence 
in  Continental  Europe  and  in  the  United  States. 
There  has  been  much  controversy  regarding  the 
cause  of  this  disease,  but  the  conclusions  of  Thaxter 
are  now  generally  accepted  for  the  American  scab. 

Symptoms. — Instead  of  the  smooth  or  slightly 
roughened  surface,  attacked  potatoes  have  a  very 
coarse  appearance,  being  covered  externally  with 
numerous  rounded  excrescences,  caused  by  the 
abnormal  production  of  cork,  giving  the  whole  a 
reddish-brown,  rusty,  scabbed  appearance. 

Cause, — The  cause  ot  the  American  scab  is  the 


FUNGOID   DISKASKS  OF  I'OTATOFS       85 

presence  of  a  minute  fungus — Oospora  scabies .  Ijul 
whether  this  same  fundus  is  the  cause  of  the  scab 
in  Europe  is  still  open  to  doubt,  as  owing  to  the 
name  scab  being  assigned  indiscriminately  to  so 
many  skin  diseases  a  considerable  amount  of  con- 
fusion exists. 

Lime  and  alkaline  manures  are  credited  with  pro- 
ducing scab,  but  while  these  substances  may  result 
in  a  form  of  scab  or  in  an  apparent  increase  of  the 
attack,  the  true  cause  must  be  looked  for  in  some 
parasitic  fungus,  either  similar  to,  or  identical  with, 
that  described  by  Thaxter. 

Whatever  the  true  nature  of  the  disease  may  be, 
the  preventive  measures  recommended  by  the 
American  investigators,  and  enumerated  below, 
might  with  advantage  be  adopted  in  this  country. 

Preventive  Measures. — 

1.  Steep  tubers  to  be  used  for  planting  in  mercuric 
chloride  solution  (p.  31). 

2.  Plant  tubers  free  from  scab. 

3.  Give  infested  land  a  rest  from  the  crop. 

4.  Do  not  plant  the  disinfected  tubers  in  land 
where  potatoes  or  beets  have  developed  scab  in 
previous  years. 

VI.   Wart    Disease   or   Black   Scai;  {Cliryso- 

phlyctis    endobiotica) — {SyjichytriuDi     endobioticinji. 

Percival).    Class  :  Phycomvcete.e  ;  Order  :  Chvtri- 

DIALES. 

This  disease  is  common  in  Continental  Europe, 


S6 


FUNGOID  DISEASES 


from  whence,  In  all  probability,  our  land  became  in- 
fected. Schilberszky  noted  and  described  it  in  1896. 
It  was  noticed  in  Great  Britain  In  1899,  and  is  now 
very  prevalent  in  Lancashire  and  the  Midlands. 

Symptoms, — On  certain  patches,  or  In  extreme 
cases  on  the  whole  of  the  potato,  wart-like  outgrowths 
appear  (see  Fig.  24,  A).  As  a  rule,  they  are  at  the 
"  rose  end  "  only,  and  are  brownish  in  colour. 


B 


Fig.  24. — (A)  Tubers  with  warty  outgrowths  {iv)  caused  by  the  wart 
disease  fungus  {Synchitrium  cndobioticum) ;  (B)  two  sporangia  (rest- 
ing stage)  with  thick  walls. 

Cause. — The  cause  of  the  abnormal  growth  Is  to 
be  found  In  a  low  type  of  fungus,  C  cndobiotica,  which 
gains  entrance  to  the  tuber  at  the  "  eyes,"  and  once 
inside  it  stimulates  the  tissues  resulting  In  the  wart- 
like growths.  Numerous  swarm  spores  are  pro- 
duced in  these  excrescences,  which  are  capable  of 


FUNGOID  DISEASES  OF  POTATOES       87 

propagating  the  disease.  Under  favourable  con- 
ditions of  growth  the  resting  stage  (sporangium, 
Fig.  24,  B)  of  the  fungus  is  produced,  whereby  the 
winter  is  brooded  over,  for  apparently  there  is  no 
growth  in  the  tuber  after  lifting. 
Preventive  Meastires. — 

1.  Dust  the  "seed"  potatoes  with  (lowers  of 
sulphur  before  planting. 

2.  Plant  sets  free  from  the  disease. 

3.  Grow  disease-resistant  varieties,  e.g.  Lang- 
worthy. 

4.  Avoid  planting  on  land  where  the  disease  has 
occurred. 

(See  "  Highland  and  Agr.  Soc.   Journal,"  1903, 

P-  312.) 

Wart  Disease  is  scheduled  as  a  notifiable  disease 
and  must  be  reported  at  once  to  the  Secretary, 
Board  of  Agriculture  and  Fisheries,  Whitehall 
Place,  London,  S.W. 

VII.  Corky  Scab  or  Powdery  SQKV>(Spongospoya 
subterranea)  occurs  in  the  form  of  powdery  ir- 
regular patches  on  the  surface  of  potatoes.  It 
may  be  of  a  serious  nature  where  potatoes  are 
grown  frequently  on  the  same  land  ;  especially 
during  a  wet  season.  The  disease  is  spread  by 
planting  affected  tubers.  It  has  been  declared  a 
notifiable  disease,  and  cases  must  be  reported 
without  delay  to  the  Secretary,  Board  of  Agricul- 
ture and  Fisheries,  Whitehall  Place,  London,  S.W. 


88  FUNGOID  DISEASES 

VIII.  Dry  Rot  {F2isariuni  solani).  Fitngi 
Imperfecti ;  Order  :  Moniliales. 

Some  ten  to  fifteen  species  of  Fttsariuni  are 
capable  of  causing  rot  of  potato  tubers,  some 
causing  wet,  others  dry  rot.  The  name  Fusarium 
solani  has  probably  been  applied  rather  indis- 
criminately to  all  of  these.  Though  the  fungus  is 
widespread,  the  damage  caused  is  small  compared 
to  that  caused  by  some  of  the  other  fungi. 

Symptoms. — Shrivelling  up  of  the  contents  of  the 
potato,  causing  cavities  on  the  surface,  in  which  a 
whitish  grey  felted  mass  of  mycelium  may  be  seen. 

Cause. — The  mycelium  noted  above  is  that  of 
F^csarhcm  solani,  which  grows  in  and  betw^een  the 
cells,  destroying  the  cell  tissue  but  leaving  the  starch 
grains  unattacked,  though  some  of  them  may,  at 
the  later  stages,  have  the  mycelium  penetrating 
them.  Entrance  to  the  potato  usually  takes  place 
through  some  wound,  but  Wehmer  has  shown  that 
the  hyphae  are  also  capable  of  entering  potatoes 
which  are  perfectly  intact. 

The  hyphse  are  long  and  fine  with  cross  walls. 
The  spores  are  very  characteristic  ;  being  long, 
slender,  pointed,  cresent  shaped,  and  multicellular. 

Note. — Phellomyces  sclerotiophorus  also  causes  a  dry  rot. 
Here  again  the  starch  grains  are  very  little  changed. 

Pi'evention. — Unfortunately  the  fungus  is  so 
widespread  that  little  can  be  done.  The  "pies" 
may  be  opened  and  the  diseased  tubers  picked  out. 


FUNGOID  DISEASES  OF  TOTAiOFS       89 

IX.  Wet  Rot. — This  may  cause  serious  damage 
where  potatoes  are  stored  in  a  wet  state.  Potatoes 
grown  on  wet  low-lying  land  often  suffer,  and  if 
Hooded  for  a  few  days  frequently  become  reduced 
to  a  mass  of  pulp. 

Sympto77is. — In  the  "pies"  individual  potatoes, 
or  a  mass  of  them,  are  found  with  the  inner  con- 
tents a  mass  of  a  pulp-like  consistency — hence  the 
name  wet  rot — and  smelling  strongly  of  butyric 
acid. 

Cmise. — The  organisms  causing  this  disease  are 
not  true  fungi,  two  species  of  bacteria  being  largely 
responsible,  viz.  Clostridiitni  butyricuin  and  Bacillus 
mesenteroides.  These  multiply  in  the  intercellula)' 
spaces,  dissolve  the  cell  wall,  and  in  a  very  short 
time  reduce  the  potato  to  a  pulp,  the  starch  grains 
remaining  intact.  The  reaction  of  the  inside  at 
the  early  stages  is  acid,  but  later  becomes  alkaline. 
Clostridium  hutyncuni  flourishes  only  without  air, 
i.e.  anaerobic.  Kramer  isolated  an  aerobic  organism, 
i.e.  one  which  grows  in  the  presence  ot  air,  produc- 
ing butyric  acid  and  capable  of  causing  wet  rot 
when  inoculated  on  wounded  or  unwounded 
potatoes, 

How  far  these  organisms  are  assisted  in  thc:ir 
attack  by  other  fungi  is  not  known,  but  certain  it 
is  that  they  are  not  alone  in  their  ravages. 

Note. — A  species  of  Rhisocto?iia  causes  wet  rot,  and  also 
attacks  the  starch  grains. 


90  FUNGOID  DISEASES 

Preventive  Measures.  — 

1.  Turn  potatoes    in  the  "pie"    frequently  and 
remove  any  rotten  tubers. 

2.  Rotation  of  crops  (doubtful). 

3.  Drain  the  land  well. 

4.  Store  potatoes  in  a  perfectly  dry  condition. 
Pethybridge  ("  Pro.  Roy.  Dub.  Soc,"  Vol.  XIII, 

No.  35,  191 3,  and  Vol.  XIV,  No.  10,  1914)  de- 
scribes a  "  wet "  rot  for  which  he  suggests  the  name 
pink  rot  and  which  is  caused,  by  Phytophthora 
erytJiJVseptica.  Apparently  the  disease  is  only  of 
a  serious  nature  on  land  that  has  been  successively 
cropped  with  potatoes  ;  further  observations  and 
inquiries  may  show  that  the  disease  is  more  wide- 
spread and  the  damage  greater  than  is  at  present 
thouijht  to  be  the  case. 

X.  Spotted  Tubers. — Like  the  markings  on  the 
leaf,  those  on  the  tuber  are  almost  legion  in 
number  ;  classification  is  difficult  and  not  very 
satisfactory.  The  exact  cause  of  their  appearance 
is  in  many  cases  obscure. 

{a)  Blotches  or  Pimples  [Spicaria  nivea),  — Fungi 
Imperfecti ;  Order  :  Moniliales. 

Much  loss  has  been  caused,  especially  in  Scot- 
land and  East  Anglia,  during  the  past  few  years, 
by  a  peculiar  disease  in  the  form  of  pimples  or 
blotches.  The  author  first  noticed  it  on  the  variety 
"Evergood,"  which  is  particularly  susceptible,  but 
many  or  all  of  the  other  varieties  are  attacked.      It 


FUNGOID  DISEASES  OF  POTATOKS       9! 

appears  to  be  worst  on  land  that  has  been  recently 
limed. 

Syniplo?ns, — The  spots  may  be  seen  at  liftincr 
time,  but  are  particularly  noticeable  after  storing. 
They  occur  particularly  at  the  ''rose"  end  of  the 
potato  and  are  black  or  brownish -black  in  colour, 
|-  to  :f  inch  diameter,  with  the  circumference  sunken 
and  the  centre  raised.  They  penetrate  the  potato 
^  inch  only  (i.e.  skin  deep),  the  inner  contents  of 
the  tuber  remaining  apparently  healthy.  Not  only 
are  the  spots  unsightly  and  reduce  the  market  value  ; 
but  if  there  are  many  of  them  near  the  "  eyes,"  the 
tubers  are  quite  useless  as  sets.^ 

Cause. — Microscopic  examination  of  sections 
through  the  spots  readily  reveals  the  presence  of 
fungal  threads  (Fig.  25,  A),  and  the  culture  media 
inoculated  from  the  inside  of  the  pimples  develop, 
without  exception,  a  growth  of  Spicaria  iiivca  (Fig. 
25,  B)and  sometimes  other  fungi  are  present.  All 
attempts  to  produce  the  spots,  however,  by  inocula- 
tion of  healthy  tubers  with  .V.  nivea,  or  the  other  fungi, 
have  failed.  Carruthers  comes  to  the  conclusion 
that  the  fungi  present  merely  enter  the  lenticels  as 
saprophytes,  and  cause  the  blackening  of  the  tissue. 
The  matter  is  worthy  of  further  investigation. 

^The  author  considers  this  disease  the  cause  of  the  great  irregu- 
larity in  many  crops  of  "  Evergood,"  the  fungus  destroying  the  eyes. 
He  saw  at  one  farm  in  Lincohishire  in  the  spring  of  1904  two  to  four 
tons  of  "  deaf  sets  "  which  had,  fortunately,  been  noticed  and 
picked  out  before  planting. 


92 


FUNGOID  DISEASES 


Precatitions. — 

1.  Examine  sets  carefully  prior  to  planting,  and 
reject  all  with  blotches. 

2.  Do  not  plant  potatoes  immediately  after 
limino-. 

3.  Shun  those  varieties  which  are  most  sus- 
ceptible to  the  attack — *' Evergood,"  "Flourball," 
etc. 

4.  Examine  "  Evergood "  seed  carefully,  and 
reject  any  "  blind  "  sets. 


Fig.  25. — {Spicaria  nivca)  :  (A)  microscopic  section  through  one  of  the 
pimples  on  the  potato  showing  the  fungus  mycelium  (;;/)  inside  the 
cells  ;  (c)  the  ctll  wall  ;  (/')  the  remains  of  digested  starch  giains  ;  (B) 
portion  of  the  hyphae  of  Spicaria  nivea  showing  the  formation  of  the 
spores  in  chains.     (Highly  magnified.) 

{/))  Black  irregular  markings, — Caused  by  Rhiz- 
octonia.  Here  the  skin  is  perfectly  intact  and  the 
blackness  can  be  rubbed  or  washed  off. 

[c)  Some  scu7'f  diseases,  not  of  a  serious  nature, 
are  said  to  be  due  to  mechanical  disturbances. 

(rtf)    The  lenticels  are  often  seen  in  the  form  of  small 


FUNGOID  DISEASES  OF  FOTATOES      93 

raised  meal-like  markings,  and  are  sometimes  mis- 
taken for  disease  spots.  The  potatoes  are,  however, 
perfectly  healthy. 

{e)  Rttst'like  specks  or  streaks  are  sometimes  found 
inside  otherwise  sound  tubers,  hence  the  names 
*' streak,"  ''sprain".  The  cause  is  not  definitely 
known.  No  fungus  has  as  yet  been  found  within  ;  it 
does  not  spread  in  the  "pies,"  and  is  apparently 
not  contagious.  Weather  and  soil  conditions  are 
thought  to  be  responsible,  but  further  research  may 
reveal  the  presence  of  some  organism  within  the 
tissues. 

Note. — For  insect  pests  attacking  this  group  see  "  Farm  and 
Garden  Insect  Pests,"  by  Somerville.     M.M.  &  Co. 


CHAPTER  V. 

FUNGOID  DISEASES  OF  CRUCIFERS. 

I.  Finger- AN D-ToE  iyPlasinodiophora  brassicce). 
Class:  MvxoMVCETES  (Slime  Fungi). 

This  disease  is  also  known  as  anbury  and  club 
root.  It  is  widespread,  and  attacks  many  kinds  of 
cultivated  and  wild  crucifers,  but  cabbages  and 
turnips  in  particular. 

Symptoms. — Abnormal  tuberous  swellings  ^  (see 
Fig.  26)  appear  of  no  fixed  form,  which  gradually 
become  rotten  and  give  off  a  very  disagreeable 
smell.  While  this  is  going  on,  the  leaves  lose  their 
waxy  bloom  and  healthy  green  appearance,  turning 
yellow  and  stunted  in  growth.  Finally  the  whole 
root  and  leaves  may  become  one  mass  of  putre- 
faction. 

Cause.- — Woronin  first  found  the  slime  funofus 
Plasmodiophora  hrassicce  which  causes  this  disease. 
Sections  through  the  swollen  parts,  examined 
microscopically,  show  that  certain  of  the  cells  are 

1  Not  to  be  confused  with  the  swellings  caused  by  the  turnip 
gall  wee\'il  {Ceutof'hy?ichus  stilcicollis). 

94 


FUNGOID  DISEASES  OF  CRUCIFERS      95 


abnormally  enlarged  and  filled  with  a  slimy  sub- 
stance which  is  the  protoplasm  of  the  fungus. 
After  feeding  in  the 
cell  lor  a  time,  this 
foreign  protoplasm 
(plasmodium)  breaks 
up  and  forms  numer- 
ous spores  within,  and 
filling  up,  the  enlarged 
cells  (see  Fig,  27). 
These  spores  are  liber- 
ated in  millions  in  the 
decaying  mass. 

Under  favourable 
conditions  the  cell  wall 
of  the  spore  ruptures 
and  a  small  mass  of 
protoplasm  is  liberated 
bearing  a  cilium  (hair- 
like growth)  by  means 
of  which  it  is  able  to 
move  about.  Shortly 
this  is  resorbed  and 
subsequent  movement 
takes  place  in  a  creep- 
ing manner,  i.e.  by  the 
small  portion  of  proto- 
plasm changing  its  shape.  In  this  stage  it  is  able 
to  enter  a  cruciferous  plant,  exactly  how  and  where 


Fig.  26. — Turnip  showing  the  peculiar 
finger-and-toe-like  swellings  on  the 
roots  caused  by  Plastnodiophora 
brassicci ;  the  upper  swellings  are 
in  an  advanced  state  of  decay. 
(After  Northumberland  C.C.) 


96 


FUNGOID  DISEASES 


is  not  known,  but  probably  via  the  root  hairs.  Once 
inside,  food  is  absorbed  from  the  cell  contents,  ir- 
ritation is  set  up,  and  the  abnormal  cells  result  in 

\1 


Fig,  27. — Finger-and-Toe  Disease  (Plasmodiophora  brassicce).  Showing 
giant  cells  in  portions  of  tissue  taken  from  the  abnormal  growths  on 
roots ;  note  that  the  protoplasm  of  the  fungus  has  broken  up  into  a 
mass  of  spores  ;  (a)  spores  more  highly  magnified  ;  (b)  "  germina- 
tion "  of  spores  ;  (c)  the  ciliated  portion  of  naked  protoplasm  emerging  ; 
(d)  the  naked  protoplasm  (plasmodium)  liberated.     (After  Woronin.) 

consequence.  Portions  of  protoplasm  are  capable 
of  piercing  the  cell  wall  and  entering  previously 
healthy  cells. 

How  long  the  spores  retain  their  power  of  ger- 
mination, how  winter  is  passed,  and  how  the  small 


FUNGOID  DISEASES  OF  CRUCJFERS      97 

protoplasmic  mass  enters  the  plant,  are  points  await- 
ing solution. 

Pi^eventive  Me  as  it  res,  — 

1.  Do  not  grow  cruciferous  plants  too  often  on 
the  same  land. 

2.  Remove  diseased  roots  from  the  field. 

3.  Do  not  spread  refuse  from  the  turnip  heaps 
on  land  where  turnips,  etc.,  are  to  be  grown. 

4.  Disease  is  most  prevalent  on  sour  land  ; 
sweeten  such  land  by  drainage,  and  by  the  applica- 
tion of  about  2  tons  or  more  of  lime  per  acre, 
immediately  the  turnip  crop  is  removed,  and  in 
extra  quantities  where  the  disease  was  worst.  Gas 
lime  is  of  little  value  for  the  purpose. 

5.  Keep  down  cruciferous  weeds  —  charlock, 
shepherd's  purse,  etc. 

6.  Avoid  the  use  of  acid  manures,  e.g.  super- 
phosphate. 

7.  Prevent  as  far  as  possible  the  transportation 
of  soil  from  infected  to  healthy  areas. 

8.  Do  not  raise  seedlings  for  trans[)lanting  on 
land  that  is  susceptible  to  the  disease. 

9.  Do  not  plant  clubbed  seedlings. 

II.  Damping  Off  [Pythiuvi  dc  Baryaumu). 
Class  :  PiivcoMVCETE/K  ;  Order  :  Saprolf(;niales. 

A    troublesome    disease   to   the   gardener,    most 

cruciferous    plants    being    affected,    but    especially 

mustard  and  cress.      It  is  not  confined  to  crucifers 

only. 

7 


98 


FUNGOID  DISEASES 


Symptoms. — Where  seedlings  are  too  thick  and 
too  moist,  they  turn  yellow  in  patches  ;  and,  due  to 
a  weakened  place  in  the  stem,  at  the  soil  level,  fall 
over  ;  the  attack  spreading  with  amazing  rapidity. 

Cause. — Indirectly  the  cause  is  too  thick  seeding 
and  too  much  moisture  ;  directly  the  fungus  Pythium 
de  Baryanum  is  the  culprit.  Its  branched  non- 
septate   hyphae    grow   within   the  plant  and   draw 


Fig.  28. — Pythium  de  Baryanum:  (i)  Portion  of  mycelium  bearing 
conidia  (C)  at  the  ends  of  the  branches  ;  (2)  Sporangium  with  zoo- 
spores enclosed  (Z),  a  zoospore  with  a  cilium  or  hair  ;  (3)  Antheridium 
and  Oogonium  ;  after  uniting  a  resting  spore,  called  an  oospore,  is 
formed.     (After  De  Bary.) 

nourishment  from  the  contents  of  the  cells;  result- 
ing in  the  weakening  of  the  part  and  consequent 
falling  over.  Later  the  hyphse  grow  on  the  out- 
side and  may  reach  short  distances  to  healthy 
plants. 

Preventive  Measures. — 

1.  Do  not  sow  too  thickly. 

2.  Do  not  shade  seedlings  too  much  or  keep  them 
too  moist. 


FUNGOID  DISEASES  OF  CRUCIFERS      99 

3.  Do  not  grow  seedlings  on  infected  soil,  but 
regulate  the  moisture  in  the  soil  and  air  so  as  to 
have  an  optimum  for  plant  growth  without  an  excess 
which  favours  fungoid  growth. 

4.  On  first  appearance  remove  diseased  patch 
and  a  coronet  of  the  surrounding  healthy  plants,  and 
burn. 

5.  Deep  cultivation  has  been  recommended,  as 
it  is  said  to  bury  the  oospores. 

6.  Steeping  the  seed  in  various  solutions  has 
been  suggested,  but  seeing  that  the  fungus  is 
capable  of  living  as  a  saprophyte  in  the  soil  it  is 
difficult  to  see  how  this  can  be  of  any  use. 

7.  Spraying  the  surface  of  the  soil  with  Bor- 
deaux Mixture  will  sometimes  prevent  the  spread 
of  the  disease  in  the  seed  bed. 

III.   Mildews.— 

(a)  True  Mildew  [Ii7'ysip/ie  Martii).  Class  : 
AscoMVCETE.E  ;  Order  :  Perisporiales. 

(K)  False  Mildew  i^Peronospora  parasitica). 
Class  :  Phycomvcete.e  ;  Order  :  Peronos mor- 
ales. 

{a)  True  Mildew. — A  species  of  Erysiphc  identi- 
cal with  E.  Martii  is  found  on  the  surface  of  cruci- 
ferous plants— for  description  see  under  clover 
mildew,  page  63. 

(b)  Praise  Mildew  [Perotiospora  parasitica). — • 
Various  cruciferous  plants  are  susceptible,  but  prob- 
ably swedes  suffer  most,  especially  in  dry  seasons, 


100 


FUNGOID  DISEASES 


and  with  early  sowing.     It  often  occurs  in  company 
with  white  rust. 

Symptoms. — i\  grey  white  mould  appears  on  the 
under  side  of  the  leaves  ;  the  latter  assume  at  the 
same  time  a  sickly  appearance,  shrivel  up,  and 
when  rain  comes,  rot  with  a  strong  characteristic 
odour. 

Cattse. — Peronospora  pm^asitica  causes  this  dis- 
ease.     Its  hyphse  grow  within  the  plant  (compare 

true  mildews)  and  draw  nour- 
ishment from  the  cell  contents, 
thereby  preventing  normal 
development.  Aerial  hyphse 
are  sent  out  through  the 
stomata,  which  branch  in  a 
tree-like  manner,  and  form, 
at  the  tips,  colourless  con- 
idia  (Fig.  29)  which  fall  off 
easily  and  are  capable  of  im- 
mediate ofermination.  Rest- 
ing  spores  (oospores)  with  a 
thin  yellowish  outer  wall  are 
formed,  on  the  mycelium 
within  the  plant,  as  a  result  of  sexual  union.  These 
develop  the  following  spring. 

Preventive  Measures. — On  account  of  the  wide- 
spread nature  of  the  fungus,  little  can  be  done. 

1.  Keep  down  all  cruciferous  weeds. 

2.  Sow  swedes  later  in  the  dry  warm  districts, 


Fig.  29. — Conidiophore  of 
Pcronospora  parasitica, 
which  causes  fa  se  mildew 
of  swedes,  growing 
through  a  breathing  pore  ; 
notice  the  detached  con- 
idia.  (Magnified. )  (After 
Frank.) 


FUNGOID  DISEASES  OK  CRL-ClKKKS    loi 


3.  Apply  nitrate  of  soda,  as  a  top-dressing. 

4.  Frequent  horse-hoeing  even  in  the  late  sum- 
mer has  in  many  cases  been  found  beneficial. 

IV.  White  Rust  {Albugo  Candida.  Kuntz.  ;  ( 'v- 
stopus  candidiis,  Pers.).  Class  :  Phvcomncktk.i-:  ; 
Order  :   Pkronosporalks. 

This  fungus  attacks  various  cruciferous  plants, 
but  is  especially  abundant  on  shepherd's  purs(; 
{Capsella  bursa  pastoris)  where  it  appears  as  a 
lime-white  coverino"  causino^  deformitv  of  the  stems, 
leaves,  and  leaf-stalks. 

The  mycelium  grows  within  the  host  ;  later  it 
bursts  through  the  surface, 
forming  spores  (in  chains) 
(Fig.  30)  which  constitute  the 
white  powder.  These  spores 
are  carried  by  the  wind,  and 
in  the  presence  of  moisture 
give  rise  to  zoospores  which 
swim  for  a  time,  and  on 
coming  to  rest,  form  a  germ 
tube  which  can  enter  a  cru- 
ciferous plant.  Resting 
spores  are  formed  as  a  re- 
sult of  sexual  union,  in  most  plants,  but  not  in 
shepherd's   purse. 

V.  Blackening  of  Rape. — Rape  in  particular 
suffers  from  the  attack  of  Sporidesniiuui  cxdiosuui, 
which  forms  blackish-brown  spots,  especially  on  the 


Fig.  30. — White  rust  {Cysto- 
piis  candidits).  Portion  of 
the  hypha  with  conidio- 
phores ;  (</)  bearing  the 
con  i  d  i  a  (i )  in  chains. 
(Magnified.) 


102  FUNGOID  DISEASES 

"seed   pods/'    but    also   on    the    stem.     The   pod 
shrivels  and  seed  formation  Is  prevented. 

On  account  of  the  wide  distribution  of  the  fungus 
little  can  be  done  to  prevent  It. 

\T.  ScLEROTiUM  \}i%Y.k^Y.{Sclerotinia  libertiana ; 
Sclerotinia  s clerotiorimi ,  Massee).  Class  :  As- 
COMVCETES  ;  Order  :  Pezizales. 

*  Rape,  swedes,  and  turnips  are  attacked  In  parti- 
cular. The  mycelium  Is  only  able  to  enter  the 
host  after  being  nourished  for  a  time  saprophytl- 
cally.  A  description  of  this  fungus  Is  given  on 
page  6^,  under  sclerotlum  disease  of  clover. 

Since  the  sclerotia  are  capable  of  resting  for  a 
long  time,  and  the  fungus  Is  able  to  grow  as  a 
saprophyte,  little  can  be  done  to  prevent  attack. 
Liming  Is  to  be  recommended. 

Note. — For  insect  pests  of  this  group  see  "  Farm  and  Garden 
Insect  Pests,"  by  Somerville.     M.M.  &  Co. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

FUNGOID  DISEASES  OF  MANGELS  AND   ru:ET. 

I.  False  Mildew  {Pejvnospora  schaclitii). 
Class:   PiivcoMVCETE.E  ;  Order:  Peronosporales. 

Both  mangels  and  beet  are  attacked,  the  latter 
to  a  serious  extent  in  France  and  Germany. 

Syniptorus. — In  May  and  June  the  young  leaves 
assume  a  light  green  colour,  and  become  crumpled 
in  a  bladder-like  form  with  the  outside  edges 
turned  under.  A  grey  coverino-  of  mycelium  is 
found  on  the  under  side.  Plants  attacked  are 
dwarfed  in  growth,  or  may  be  altogether  destroyed. 
Single  plants  or  patches  suffer. 

Cause. — The  greyish  patches  on  the  under  side 
of  the  leaf  consist  of  conidiophores  of  the  fungus 
Peronospora  schaclitii  which  causes  the  disease. 
The  conidiophores  grow  through  the  stomata  and 
bear  at  the  tips  oval-shaped  spores  that  are  easily 
detached  and  carried  by  the  wind.  They 
germinate  readily  on  a  moist  surface,  and  if  ger- 
mination takes  place  on  beet  or  mangel  leaves  the 
germ  tube  enters  and  grows  within.     Resting  spores, 

with  thick  walls,  are  formed  within  the  dead  leaves, 

103 


104  FUNGOID  DISEASES 

and  the  mycelium  remains  over  the  winter  in  the 
roots. 

Precautions.  — 

1.  Remove  all  diseased  plants. 

2.  Grow  some  other  crop  for  a  year  or  two. 

3.  Keep  down  weeds. 

II.  Leaf  Spot  {Cercospora  beticola).  Fungi 
Imperfecti ;  Order  :  Moniliales. 

Both  mano^els  and  sug^ar  beet  are  attacked. 

Symptoms. — Very  small  grey  round  spots,  with 
a  dark  red  circumference,  appear  on  the  leaf  in 
summer,  consisting  of  conidiophores  bearing  long, 
tail-like,  colourless  conidia  with  cross  walls.  With  a 
few  spots  only,  no  serious  damage  results  ;  if  an 
abundance  the  plant  suffers. 

Cause. — The  fungus  Cercosp07'a  beticola  causes 
the  disease.  The  long  septate  conidia  are  carried 
by  the  wind  on  to  healthy  leaves,  where  they 
germinate.  Growth  is  limited  in  area,  each  spot 
being  the  result  of  a  separate  infection.  Winter 
spores  are  not  known. 

The  damage  caused  is  not  as  a  rule  serious,  and 
no  satisfactory  preventive  can  be  given  ;  burn  the 
leaves  after  harvesting,  if  the  disease  is  abundant. 

III.  Leaf  Brown  {Sporidesmium  putr'efaciens, 
Fuckel).     Fungi  Imperfecti ;   Order  :  Moniliales. 

Both  mangels  and  sug^ar  beet  suffer. 
Sympto77is. — Appears     in     late      summer      and 
autumn  ;     the    oldest    leaves    are     attacked,     the 


,  DISKASES  OF  MAXGKLS  AND  BEET      105 

\ 

youno-est  being-  free.  Differs  from  leaf  spot  in 
that  the  whole  leaf  surface  turns  brown,  and 
thickens. 

Cause, — Investigation  has  shown  that  on  and 
within  the  surface  of  the  brown  parts  the  mycelium 
of  .V.  putrefaciens  may  be  formed.  Trom  this 
mycelium  brown  hypha-  arise,  bearing-  at  the  ends 
large  pear-shaped  septate  spores,  which  are  very 
easily  detached  and  carried  by  the  wind.  A  germ 
tube  grows  from  each  of  the  chambers. 

Pi'eventive  Measures.  — 

1.  Remove  the  leaves  of  attacked  crops. 

2.  .Steep  the  seed  in  formaldehyde  solution   (see 

p.  32)- 

i\^    Leaf    Rust    i^Uromyces    Bctcr,     Tulasne). 

Class:  Teliosporpie  ;  Order:  Ureimnales. 

This  disease  is  seen  on  both  mangels  and  sugar 
beet,  especially  in  those  fields  where  they  are  grown 
many  years  in  succession.     Damage  is  not  serious. 

Symptoms. — Appears  on  leaves  late  in  the  season 
in  the  form  of  small  yellow^ish  pustules,  the  re- 
mainder of  the  leaf  remaining  a  healthy  green,  unless 
the  spots  are  exceedingly  numerous,  in  which  case 
it  turns  a  sickly  colour.  It  is  chiefly  the  older  leaves 
that  are  attacked. 

Canse^ — ^The  disease  is  due  to  Uromyces  BetcF. 
The  pustules  on  the  leaf  consist  of  uredospores  of 
the  fungus  ;  these  are  blown  to  healthy  plants,  there 
setting  up  new  centres  of  disease. 


io6  FUNGOID  DISEASES 

Preventive  Measures. — 

1 .  Remove  all  tops  and  refuse. 

2.  Grow  mano^els  on  other  P^round. 

3.  Spraying  with  Bordeaux  Mixture  is  recom- 
mended, but  it  is  of  doubtful  value. 

V.  Beetroot  and  Mangel  Rot  [^Phonia  Betce, 
Frank).      Fungi  Iniperfecti ;    Order:    Sph.^ropsi- 

DALES. 

Symptoms. — Seen  in  dry  summers  during  July 
and  August  and  sometimes  later.  The  young  inner 
leaves  become  blackened ;  in  bad  cases  the  whole 
of  the  leaves  suffer,  the  attack  spreading  from  the 
inner  leaves  outward.  Later  the  mano^el  itself  falls 
a  prey  to  the  fungus  (this  constitutes  the  dry  rot)  ; 
first  the  epidermis  is  discoloured,  and  later  the  inner 
tissue  becomes  brown  and  dry. 

Cause. — The  fungus  Phoma  BetcB  with  its  thickish, 
septate,  colourless  hyphae  is  present  in  the  tissues 
causing  disease,  Picnidia  (small  cases  containing 
spores)  are  seen  in  the  diseased  tissue  as  minute  black 
points.  They  liberate  the  spores  from  a  small 
opening.  They  may  remain  in  the  ground  a  long 
time  and  still  be  capable  of  germination  when 
favourable  conditions  occur. 

This  fungus  is  often  accompanied  by  Fusarium 
beticola,  which  has  crescent  shaped  spores. 

VI.  Violet  Root  Rot  {Rkizocto7iia  vio/acea). 
Fjingi  Imperfecti. 

Mangels  and  beet  suffer,    though   not   seriously. 


DISEASES  OF  MANGELS  AND  BEKT      107 


A  purple  red  covering  of  mycelium  is  found  on  the 
root,  causing  rotting.  No  spores  are  formed.  For 
description  of  the  fungus,  see  p.  71. 

Attack  is  said  to  be  worst  on  badly  drained  land. 

VII.  Beetroot  and  Mangel  Tumour  [Oedomyces 
leproides,  see  note  on  p.  108).  Sub-Class  :  Phy- 
COMYCETE/E  ;  Order  :  Chytridiales. 


"^^^£^^-5*^^ 


Fig.  31. — A  mangel  showing  the  large  tumour  on  the  left  side. 

{a)  Beetroot. — This  disease  was  found  near  Al- 
giers, and  described  by  Trabut.  Large  brain-like 
swellings  or  fleshy  tumours  are  found  above  the 
ground,  and  are  attached  to  the  root  by  a  very 
narrow  neck.  Spores  are  found  in  small  cavities 
in  the  tumours. 

(^)  Mangel. — The  author  found  a  similar  disease 
to  the  above  on  mangels  grown  on    land  heavily 


lo8  FUNGOID  DISEASES 


dressed  with  ofas  lime.  The  swellinofs  were  at 
the  soil  level,  some  of  them  being-  bigger  than  the 
double  hand  (see  Fig.  31).  No  fungus  mycelium 
nor  spores  could  be  detected  within  the  hyper- 
trophied  tissue,  but  it  is  conceivable  that  the  fungus 
found  on  the  beet  is  also  the  cause  of  the  mano-el 
tumour.  Observation  leads  him  to  believe  that  the 
parasite  enters  at  the  small  pits  made  in  the  root  at 
the  soil  level  by  slug  bites,  etc.  ;  there  is,  however, 
no  direct  proof  of  this. 

Note. — Professor  Bessey  suggests  that  the  tumours  may  have 
been  caused  by  the  crown-gall  bacteria  {^Pscudomoiias  tiiinefacicns) 
which  is  known  to  cause  large  galls  on  mangels  and  other  plants. 


APPENDIX. 

FUNGOID  DISEASES  OF   ANIMALS. 

Here  again  only  those  diseases  caused  by  the 
true  fungi  will  be  described  ;  the  reader  being  re- 
ferred to  books  on  animal  pathology  for  descrip- 
tions of  the  innumerable  diseases  caused  by  bacteria. 

I.  Wooden  Tongue  [Actinomyces  bovis). — Also 
known  as  actinomycosis,  lumpy  jaw,  cancer  of  the 
tongue,  etc.  It  appears  most  frequently  in  the 
ox,  but  pigs  and  human  beings  are  sometimes  at- 
tacked. In  the  ox  the  tongue  is  the  chief  seat  of 
disease,  but  in  castrated  animals  the  spermatic 
cord  may  become  infected ;  it  has  also  been  found 
in  the  peritoneum. 

Symptoms. — On  and  within  the  tongue  small 
flattened,  greyish -yellow  or  reddish  nodules  or  ab- 
scesses appear  \  to  i  inch  in  diameter,  microscopic 
examination  revealing  the  presence  of  a  fungus. 
These  nodules  harden  and  sometimes  lime  is  de- 
posited, giving  a  granular  appearance.  The  animal, 
rolls  its  tongue  about,  and  swallows  with  difficulty  ; 
saliva  drops  from  the  mouth,  and  the  tongue  is 
swollen  and  hardened.  The  disease  may  spread 
from  the  tongue  to  the  lower  jaw. 

jog 


no  FUNGOID  DISEASES 

Cause. — The  abnormal  appearance  above  noted 
is  caused  by  the  parasitic  fungus  Actinomyces  bovis^ 
which  was  first  discovered  by  Bollinger  about  1877. 
Sections  through  the  nodules  show  that  they  con- 
sist, internally,  of  loosely  arranged  knot-like 
branched  hyphae,  which  are  arranged  radially  at  the 
periphery  of  the  nodule  (hence  the  term  ray  fungus), 
and  terminate  in  a  flask-like  expansion.  Numerous 
small  bodies  resembling  cocci  or  bacilli  may  be 
found  arranged  end  to  end  in  the  sw^ellings,  and 
also  liberated  and  distributed  between  the  hyphae  ; 
they  result  from  the  breaking  up  of  the  hyphae  and 
are  called  "  fragmentation  spores  ". 

Most  authorities  now  consider  the  disease  of 
bacterial  origin. 

Ti'eatment. — The  disease  is  most  difficult  to 
combat.  Pricking  the  tongue  with  a  needle  has 
been  recommended,  but  is  of  doubtful  value.  Some 
veterinary  surgeons  advise  immediate  slaughter ;; 
in  any  case,  professional  advice  should  be  sought. 

Scrape  the  parts  and  dress  with  a  solution  consist- 
ing of  equal  parts  of  tincture  of  iodine  and  carbolic 
acid,  and  give  iodide  of  potash  internally  ( Levie). 

II.  Ringworm  (Oidiwn  tonsurans;  Trichophy- 
ton tonsiwans,  Malmsten  ;  Herpes  tonstcrans). 
Fungi  Imperfect i. 

Most  frequent  on  young  cattle  in  poor  condi- 
tion, but  also  found  on  horses,  goats,  and  dogs. 

Symptoms.  —  Irregular    circular   areas    appear, 


FUNGOID  DISEASES  OF  ANIMALS      iii 

especially  about  the  face  and  neck,  devoid  of  hair 
and  varying  in  size  from  a  fraction  of  an  inch  to 
several  inches  in  diameter.  The  skin  on  these  bare 
surfaces  is  wrinkled,  encrusted,  and  scabbed  in  ap- 
pearance. In  the  earlier  stages  small  bladders  are 
seen  from  which  an  evil-smelling  substance  exudes. 
These  dry  up,  forming  the  bark  or  crust  of  greyish- 
brown  leathery  scales  mentioned  above. 

Cause. — The  bladder-like  swellings  and  loss  of 
hair  are  caused  by  the  parasitic  fungus  Oidiuin  ton- 
surans, of  which  there  appear  to  be  several  varieties. 
It  grows  readily  on  blood  serum,  where  it  forms,  on 
the  hyphse,  chains  of  roundish  oval  conidia,  w^hich 
spread  the  disease.  Whether  this  fungus  is  identi- 
cal with  the  one  found  on  human  beings  is  still  an 
open  question. 

Remedial  Afeasures. — Clean  the  parts  well  by 
scraping  and  brushing  and  afterwards  apply  one  of 
the  following  dressings,  which  must  be  repeated 
should  occasion  require  : — 

[a)  Train  oil  5  parts,  sulphur  i  part. 

i^b)  Soft  soap  5  parts,  sulphur  i  part. 
.  [c)  Olive  oil  8  parts,  creosotell  i  part. 

Levie  recommends  the  following  :  wash  well  with 
warm  water,  washing  soda,  and  soft  soap,  rub  off 
the  crusts  with  emery  paper,  and  next  day  when  dry 
paint  the  parts  with  the  following:  — 

I  oz.  Sir  Wm.  Burnett's  disinfecting  fluid,  24 
oz.  water  (shake  well  before  using). 


112  FUNGOID  DISEASES 

III.  Favus  in  Poultry  i^Achorion  Schonkinii, 
Remak)  [Oidliun  Schonleinii,  Grawitz),  Fungi 
Iviperfecti. 

Almost  all  breeds  of  poultry  are  attacked,  the 
disease  being  very  contagious,  a  single  case  soon 
contaminating  the  whole  run.  The  disease  is  also 
common  in  children. 

Symptoms. — Small,  pale,  irregular,  shield-like  pits 
appear  on  the  comb  ;  and  later  on  the  wattles  and 
head.  They  coalesce,  thicken,  and  become'yellowish- 
grey.  The  feathery  parts,  especially  the  breast  and 
neck,  may  be  attacked,  the  feathers  drying  up  and 
falling  off.  The  disease  is  most  difficult  to  combat 
at  this  stage,  often  ending  fatally. 

Cause. — Oidium  Schonleinii,  or  a  parasitic  fun- 
gus closely  resembling  it,  causes  the  above  disease, 
gaining  entrance  to  the  comb  probably  at  some 
abrasion  and  spreading  to  the  wattles,  neck,  and 
breast.  Grown  on  artificial  media,  the  mycelium 
is  greyish  white  ;  from  it  spring  soft  white  fluffy 
aerial  hyphse,  bearing  the  conidia  in  chains.  They 
may  be  produced  in  such  profusion,  both  here  and 
on  the  comb,  as  to  form  a  dust-like  covering  over 
the  whole  surface.  The  fungus  also  possesses  the 
following  characteristics  :  is  sensitive  to  acid  in  the 
medium,  forms  a  sulphur  yellow  colouring  matter, 
likes  fairly  high  temperatures,  and  produces  an 
alkaline  by-product. 

Remedial  Measures. — Always  isolate  and  treat 


FUNGOID  DISEASES  OF  ANIMALS       113 

immediately  when  seen.  Clean  the  affected  parts 
either  by  washing-  well  with  solt  soap  and  water, 
or  rubbing  with  emery  paper  and  brushing,  and 
apply  any  of  the  following  : — 

(a)  Sulphur  ointment. 

(d)  Paint  with  iodine  solutions. 

(r)  5  per  cent  silver  nitrate  in  lard. 

(d)  10  per  cent  solution  of  carbolic  acid, 

(e)  Mercuric  oxide  i  part,  lard  8  parts. 

Note. — for  insect  pests,  see  "Farm  and  Garden  Insect  Pests," 
by  Somerville.     M.M.  (fc  Co. 


8 


INDEX. 


Abnormal  flowering,  15. 

—  fruit,  14. 

Achorion  Schonleinii,  112. 

Actinomyces  bovis,  109. 

Actinomycosis,  log. 

Adaptability,  22. 

Aecidiospores,  11,  16,  51,  55. 

Aerobic,  8g, 

Albugo  Candida,  loi. 

Algae,  38. 

Alopecurns  pratensis,  57. 

Anaerobic,  89. 

Anbury,  94. 

Animals,  diseases  ot,  109-13. 

Anthracnose,  70. 

Ascochyta  pisi,  6g. 

Asco7nycetea,  35.  3^,  38,  55. 

67,  99,  102. 
Ascospores,  7,  56. 
Ascus,  35,  56. 

Bacillus  viesenteroides,  89. 

—  phytophthonis,  82. 

—  solanisaprus,  82. 
Bacteria,  i,  89. 

Bad  nourishment,  22. 
Barley,  blackened,  61. 

—  covered  smut  of,  42. 

—  deaf  ears  of,  60. 

—  leaf  brown  of,  60. 

—  naked  smut  of,  42. 

—  rust,  53. 

Basidioviycetece,  35,  38, 
Beans,  diseases  of,  63,  74. 
Beetroot,  diseases  of,  94-102. 
Berberis  vulgaris,  11,  50,  51. 
Black  leg,  82. 

—  scab,  85. 
BlattroUkrankheit,  83. 
Board  of  agriculture,  87. 


Bordeaux  mixture,  25. 
Botrytis  cinera,  82. 
Brome  smut,  44. 
Brotnus  mollis,  44. 
Brown  rust,  52. 
Buckthorn,  54. 
Budding,  9,  41. 
Bugloss,  53. 
Bunt,  9,  29,  33,  45. 

Campion,  15. 
Cancer  of  the  tongue,  109. 
Capsclla  bursa  pastoris,  15,  lOi. 
Carpomycetea',  34. 
Cercospora  beticola,  104. 
Cereals,  diseases  of,  39,  62. 
58,  63,  j  Ceutorhynciis  sulcicollis,  94. 
Chlamydospores,  7,  40. 
Chlorophyccce,  35. 
Chlorophyll,  2. 

Chrysophlyctis  cndobiotica,  85. 
Chylridialcs,  85,  107. 
Cilia,  77,  96,  98. 
CladocliytridiacciV,  72. 
Cladosporium  hcrbarum,  6r. 
Clavii.eps  purpurea,  7,  55. 
Clostridium  butyricum,  89. 
Clovers,  diseases  of,  63,  74. 
Club  root,  94. 
Cocksfoot,  54j  57. 

Colletotrichutn  lindi'muthianum,  70. 
Conidia,  7,  41,  65,  76,  loi. 
Conidiophore,  4,  76. 
Continued  cropping,  22. 
Contortions,  15. 
Copper  sulphate  solution,  28. 
Corky  scab,  87. 

Corrosive  sublimate  solution,  31. 
Crowded  cropping,  21. 
Crown  gall  of  clover,  72. 

115  ^ 


ii6 


FUNGOID  DISEASES 


Crown  rust,  53. 

Cruciferous  plants,  diseases  of,  94- 

102. 
Curly  dwarf,  80,  84. 

—  leaf,  80,  84. 
Cuscnta  Trifolii,  74, 

Dactvlis  glonierata,  54,  57. 
Damage  done  by  fungi,  23. 
Damping  off,  97. 
Discoloration,  15,  17,  59. 
Disease,  conditions  favourable,  20. 
unfavourable,  23. 

—  diagnosis  of,  17. 

—  signs  of,  16. 

—  spread  of,  18. 
Dodder,  74. 
Drop  cultures,  8, 
Dry  rot,  106. 

of  potatoes,  88. 

Effect  of  parasite,  13. 
Endophytic,  13. 
Endospores,  7. 
Entomophthorales,  35. 
Epic  hi  oe  typhina,  57. 
Ep'idermis,  20. 
Epiphytic,  13. 
Ergot,  55. 
Erysiphe,  5,  12,  13,  65,  66. 

—  gramiiiis,  58,  64. 

—  Mar  Hi,  63,  99. 
Euphorbia,  67. 
Evergood,  90,  92. 
Exoascus  priini,  14. 

Favus  in  poultry,  112. 
Ferrocyanide  test,  27. 
FesUica  silvatica,  54. 
Finger-and-toe,  19,  21,  94. 
Flourball,  92. 

Formaldehyde  solutions,  32. 
Fungi,  I. 

—  classification  of,  34. 

—  damage  done  by,  23. 

—  how  plant  is  entered  by,  19, 
Fungi    imperfecti,    36,    38,    61,    62, 

69-72,  80,    84,  88,    90,  104,    106, 

110-12. 
Fungicides,  24. 
Fiisarium  solani,  7,  88. 

—  species,  15,  82,  88. 


Germ  tube,  19. 

Germination  of  spores,  710,  47,  77. 

Golden  rust,  52. 

Grass,  black  spots  on,  62. 

—  diseases  of,  39. 

Haustoria,  5. 
Heltninthosporiuni  graminciim,  60. 

—  teres,  62. 
Higher  lungi,  34. 
Host,  diversity  in,  22. 

—  influence  of,  15. 

Hot  water  treatment,  29. 
Hyphae,  2,  3. 

Infected  tubers,  78. 

Krauselkrankheit,  'io,  83. 

Langworthy,  87. 
Lathyrus,  63,  67. 
Leaf,  brown,  104. 

—  curl,  80. 

—  roll,  83. 

—  rust,  105. 

—  spots,  62,  73,  104. 
Leguminous  plants,  diseases  of,  63, 

74: 
Lenticels,  92. 

Leptosphcsria  Tritici,  60. 

Lime  sulphur,  33. 

Litmus  paper,  27. 

Liver  of  sulphur,  31. 

Loose  smut  of  barley,  42. 

of  wheat,  43. 

Lower  fungi,  35. 

Lucerne,  diseases  of,  67,  71,  72. 

Lumpy  jaw,  109. 

Lychnis  dioica,  15. 

Macrosporium  sarcinaforme,  72. 

—  solani,  80. 
Maize,  smut  of,  44. 
Mangels,  diseases  of,  103-8. 
Meadow  foxtail,  57. 

Mildew,    3,  12,    13,  49,    63-66,   99, 
103. 

—  downy,  66. 

—  false,  64,  99. 
Moniliales,  61,  72,  88,  90,  104. 
Mucor  mucedo,  4,  7,  13,  82. 
Mucorales,  35. 


INDEX 


117 


Mycelium,  2,  3. 
Myxomycetes,  g\. 

Nourishment,  inriuence  of,  22. 

Oats,  leaf  brown  of,  62. 

—  smut  of,  39. 
Oidium  lactis,  7. 

—  schonleinii,  112. 

—  tonsurans,  no. 
Oogonia,  79. 
Oospora  scabies,  84. 
Oospores,  7,  78. 

Parasites,  2,  12,  64. 
Peas,  diseases  of,  63-74. 
Penicilliiim  glaiicwn,  7,  13. 
Perisporiales,  58,  64,  99,  loi,  103. 
Perithecia,  56. 
Peronospora  parasitica,  99. 

—  schachtii,  103. 
— ■  Trifoliormn,  64. 

—  vicice,  64. 

Peronosporales,  35,    63,  66,  75,  99- 

loi,  103. 
Pezizales,  67,  68,  102. 
Phellomyces  sclcrotiopJiorus,  88. 
Phoma  beta:,  io5. 
Phycomycetece,  34,    35,    38,  64,    66, 

72,  75.  85,  97,  103,  107. 
Phyla,  34. 
Phyllachora  graminis,  62. 

—  Trifolii,  73. 

Physiological  derangement,  80,  83. 
Phytophthora  erythroseptica,'jq,  90. 

—  infestans,  12,  13,  16,  18-21,  66, 

75-80 

—  Phaseoli,  66. 
Picnospores,  11. 
Pisum,  63,  67. 
Plasmodiophora    brassicce,    20,    22, 

94. 
Plasmodium,  95. 
Pocket  plums,  14. 
Poly  poms,  13,  20. 
Potato,  diseases  of,  75-93. 
Powdery  scab,  87. 
Premature  buds,  15. 
Preparation  of  fungicides,  26. 
Promycelium,  41,  47. 
ProtococcoidecB,  35. 
Protoplasm,  2,  95. 


Pseudomonas  Itimefaciens,  108. 
Pseudopeziza  inedicaginis,  73. 

—  Trifolii,  73. 
Puccinia  coronuta,  53, 

—  coro)iifera,  54. 

—  dispersa,  52. 

—  glnmarnm,  52,  53. 

—  graminis,  5,  10,  14,  16,  49,  67. 

—  rubigo  vera,  52. 

—  simplex,  53. 

—  straminis,  52. 
j  Pustule,  50,  52. 

Pyrenoinycetalcs,  55,  57. 
Pythinni  de  Baryaniim,  97. 

Ray  fungus,  no. 

Reproduction,  10. 

Rhizoctonia  violacca,  15,  71,  106. 

RhodophycecB,  35. 

Ringworm,  no. 

Root  hairs,  14,  20,  96. 

Rust,  10,  12,  14,  48,  66. 

Rust-free  wheat,  48. 

Rye,  ergot  of,  55. 

—  smut  of,  43. 

Saprolegmiales,  35,  97. 
Saprophytes,  2,  6,  12. 
I  Scab  of  potatoes,  84,  85. 
Sclerotia,  4,  57,  67,  68. 
Sclerotinia  libertiana,  102. 

—  sclcrotiornm,  19,  102. 

—  Trifolioritm,  67. 
Sclerotium  disease  of  clover,  67. 
Sep  tor ia  avcnce,  60. 

—  briosiana,  60. 

—  glnmarnm,  60. 

—  graminenm,  60. 
Sheep's  fescue,  54. 
Shepherd's  purse,  15. 
Siphonophycecc,  34. 
Slime  fungi,  95. 
Smother  fungus,  57. 

Smut,  9,  12,  15,  29,  32,  39-4''^- 
Soda  Bordeaux,  28. 
Soft  brome,  45. 
Sphc€rella  exitialis,  60. 
Sphcrropsidalcs,  69,  106. 
Spicaria  nivca,  gj. 
Sporangiophore,  4. 
Spores,  4,  7,  47. 

—  distribution  of,  7,  18,  23. 


Ii8 


FUNGOID  DISEASES 


Spores,  germination  of,  7. 
Sporidesminm  exitiosum,  loi. 
—  putrefaciens,  104. 
Spot  disease  of  peas,  6g. 

of  potatoes,  go. 

Sprain,  93. 

Spring  rust,  52. 

Spurge,  67. 

Stem  rot  of  potatoes,  82. 

Stinking  smut,  43,  45. 

Straw,  blackening  of,  61. 

Streak,  93. 

Stroma,  56. 

Sulphur,  34. 

SynchytriacecB,  35. 

Synchytrium  endohioticum,  85. 

Tall  oat  grass,  smut  of,  45. 
Teleutospores,  11,  16,  50. 
Teliosporecz,  34,  36,  38,  39,  45, 

66,  105. 
Teliospores,  40,  50. 
Tests  for  Bordeaux  mixture,  27. 
Tilletia,  9,  41,  45. 
TilletiacecF,  36,  45. 
Trichophyton  tonsurans,  no. 
Trimethylamine,  46. 

Uredinales,  12,  36,  48,  66,  105. 
Uredospores,  11,  16,  50,  54. 
Urocystis  Agropyri,  44. 

—  occulta,  43. 
Uromyces  apiculatiis,  67. 

—  BetcE,  105. 

—  phaseolorum,  67. 


Uromyces  pisi,  67. 

—  striatus,  67. 

—  Trifolii,  67. 
Urophlyctis  alfalfce,  72. 
Ustilago,  9,  15,  39. 

—  avencE,  39. 

—  bromivora,  44. 

—  hordei,  42. 

—  yensenii,  42. 

—  IcEvis,  39. 

—  Maydis,  44. 

—  Hilda,  42. 

—  perennans,  45. 

—  Secalis,  44. 

—  Triiici,  43. 
Ustilaginales,  36,  39-45. 


Vegetable  kingdom,  37. 
Vicia,  63-66. 
48,    Violet  root  rot,  71,  106. 


Wart  disease,  85. 
Weather,  influence  of,  20. 
Wet  rot,  89. 
Wheat,  browning  of,  59. 

—  bunt,  45. 

—  mildew  of,  58. 

—  rust  of,  49. 

—  smut  of,  41,  43. 
White  rust,  15,  16,  loi. 
Witches'  broom,  15. 
W^ooden  tongue,  log. 

Zoospores,  20,  77,  98. 
Zygospores,  7. 


PRINTED    IN    GREAT    BRITAIN    BY    THE    UNIVERSITY    PRESS,    ABERDEEN 


BOOKS   ON    AGRICULTURE,   PLANT    LIFE,  ETC. 

RESEARCHES  ON  FUNGI  :  an  Account  of  the  Production,  Lilxira- 
tion  and  Dispersion  of  the  Spores  of  Hymenomycetes  treated  Botanically  and 
Physically.  Also  some  Observations  upon  the  Discharj^e  and  Dispersion  of  the 
Spores  of  Ascomycetes  and  of  Pilobolus.  By  A.  H.  Rkginai.d  Bli.i.kw,  B.Sc. 
(Lond.),  D.Sc.  (Birm.i,  Ph.D.  (Leip.).  With  5  Plates  and  83  Fi^<ures  in  the  Text. 
Hoyal  8vo,  12s.  6d.  net. 

A  POPULAR  TREATISE  ON  THE  PHYSIOLOGY  OF  PLANTS. 

By  Dr.  Paul  Soraukr.  Translated  by  F.  E.  Wi:iss,  B.Sc,  F.L.S.  With  33 
Illustrations.     8vo,  9s.  net. 

DISEASES  OF  PLANTS  INDUCED  BY  CRYPTOGA.MIC  PARA- 

SITES.  Introduction  to  the  Study  of  Pathogenic  Funj«i,  Slime  Fun^ii,  Bacteria 
and  Algae.  By  Dr.  Karl  Freihf.rr  von  Tubeuf,  Privatdocent  in  the  Univer- 
sity of  Munich.  English  Edition  by  William  G.  Smith,  B.Sc,  Ph.D.,  Lecturer 
on  Plant  Physiology,  University  of  Edinburgh.  With  330  Illustrations.  Koyal 
8vo,  18s.  net. 

AGRICULTURAL  ANALYSIS.  A  Manual  of  Quantitative  Analysis 
for  Students  of  Agriculture.  By  Frank  T.  Addvman,  B.Sc.  (Lond.),  F.l.C.  With 
49  Illustrations.     Cro\\n  8vo,  5s.  net. 

MAIZE,     ITS      HISTORY,     CULTIVATION,      HANDLING     AM) 

USES,  with  Special  Reference  to  South  Africa.  .A  Text  book  for  Farmers, 
Students  of  Agriculture,  and  Teachers  of  Nature  Study.  By  Joskph  Buirn-DAVV, 
F.L.S.,  I-.K.C).S.,  (nnernment  Agrostologist  and  Botanist,  Departinent  of  .Agri- 
culture. Union  of  South  .Africa.  With  Frontispiece  and  245  Illustrations.  .Medium 
8vo,  25s.  net. 

PRACTICAL  AGRICULTURAL  CHEMISTRY.  By  J.  Bhr.\aki) 
Coleman,  A.K.C.S.C,  F.I.C,  and  Frank  T.  Addv.man,  B.Sc.  (Lond.i,  F.l.C. 
With  24  Illustrations.     Crown  8vo,  2s.  net. 

A  FOUNDATION    COURSE    IN   CHEMISTRY    FOR    STUDENTS 

OF  AGRICULTURE  AND  TECHNOLOGY.  By  J.  W.  Doix.son.  B.Sc. 
(Lond.),  Lecturer  in  Chemistry  at  University  College,  Reading,  and  J.  .Ai.A\ 
Murray,  B.Sc.  (Edin.),  Lecturer  in  Agricultural  Chemistry  at  University  College, 
Reading.     With  Diagrams.     Crown  8vo,  3s.  6d.  net. 

Works  by  C.  F.  CROSS  and  E.  J.  BEVAN. 
CELLULOSE :     an    Outline    of    the    Chemistry   of    the    Structural 

Elements  of  Plants.  With  Reference  to  their  Natural  History  and  Industrial 
Uses.  (C.  F.  Cross,  E.  J.  Bevan,  and  C.  Beadle.)  With  14  Plates.  Crown 
8vo,  12s.  net. 

RESEARCHES  ON  CELLULOSE,  I.,  1895-1900.    Crown  8vo,  Hs.  net. 

RESEARCHES  ON  CELLULOSE,  II.,  1900-1905.  Crown  8vo, 
7s.  6d.  net. 

RESEARCHES  ON  CELLULOSE,  III.,  1905-1910.     With  specimens 

of  "Cellophane"  film  (Viscose  process)  manufactured  by  the  Soc.  .Anonjnic, 
Blanchisserie  et  Teinturerie  de  Thaon  (les  Vosges).     Crown  8vo,  7s.  6d.  net. 


Works  by  Sir  RIDER  HAGGARD. 

A    FARMER'S    YEAR  :    being    his    Commonplace    Book    for    1898. 
With  2  .Maps  and  36  Illustrations  by  G.  Leon  Lin  i.e.     Crown  8vo,  3s.  6d.  net. 

RURAL  ENGLAND  :  being  an  Account  of  Agricultural   and   Social 
Researches.     With  75  Illustrations  from  Photographs.     2  vols.     8vo,  12s. 

RURAL    DENMARK    AND    ITS    LESSONS.      With    Frontispiece. 

Crown  8vo,  3s.  6d. 

LONGMANS,  GREEN  AND  CO., 
LONDON,  NEW  YORK,  BOMBAY,  CALCUTTA,  AND  MADRAS. 


BOOKS   ON   AGRICULTURE,  PLANT   LIFE,  ETC. 

[C  071  tinned). 
THE    CHEMISTRY    OF    CATTLE    FEEDING   AND   DAIRYING. 

By  J.  Alan  Murray,  B.Sc,  Lecturer  in  Agricultural  Chemistry  at  University 
College,  Reading.     With  Illustrations  and  Folding  Chart.     Crown  8vo,  6s.  net. 

ENGLISH   FARMING,  PAST  AND   PRESENT.     By  Rowland  E. 

Prothero,  late  Fellow  of  All  Souls  College,  Oxford  ;  Agent  in  Chief  to  the  Duke  of 
Bedford.     8vo,  12s.  6d.  net, 

SOIL   CONDITIONS   AND   PLANT    GROWTH.      By    Edward   J. 

Russell,  D.Sc.  (Lond.).  Goldsmiths'  Company's  Soil  Chemist,  Rothamsted 
Experimental  Station,  Harpenden.  With  Diagrams.  8vo,  5s.  net.  (Monographs 
oil  Biochemistry.) 

ARTIFICIAL  MANURES  :  THEIR  CHEMICAL  SELECTION  AND 

SCIENTIFIC  APPLICATION  TO  AGRICULTURE.  By  M.  Georges  Ville, 
F.R.S.  Revised  by  Sir  William  Crookes,  D.Sc,  F.R.S.,  and  John  Percival, 
.M.A.,  Director  of  the  Department  of  Agriculture,  University  College,  Reading. 
With  6  Plates.     Svo,  10s.  6d.  net. 

AN  INTRODUCTION  TO  THE  CHEMISTRY  OF  PLANT  PRO- 
DUCTS. By  Paul  Haas,  D.Sc,  Ph.D.,  Demonstrator  in  Organic  and  Applied 
Chemistry  and  in  Chemical  Physiology  at  the  University  College,  London  ;  and 
T.  G.  Hill,  A.R.C.S.,  F.L.S.,  Reader  in  Vegetable  Physiology  in  the  University  of 
London,  University  College.     With  Diagrams.     Svo,  7s.  6d.  net. 

THE  PROFITABLE  CULTURE  OF  VEGETABLES  FOR 
MARKET  GARDENERS,  SMALL  HOLDERS,  AND  OTHERS.  By  Thomas 
Smith,  F.R.H.S.,  Manager  of  the  Fels  Fruit  Farm  and  Mayland  French  Garden. 
With  numerous  Illustrations.     Svo,  6s.  net. 

Works  by  JOHN  WEATHERS,  F.R.H.S. 
A  PRACTICAL   GUIDE  TO   GARDEN   PLANTS.     With  163  Dia- 

grams.     Svo,  21s.  net. 

A  PRACTICAL  GUIDE  TO  SCHOOL,  COTTAGE  AND  ALLOT- 
MENT GARDENING.  With  66  Illustrations  and  Examination  Questions  on 
Cottage  Gardening.     Crown  Svo,  2s.  6d.  net. 

THE  PRACTICAL  SCHOOL  GARDEN  NOTE  AND  RECORD 

BOOK.  Adapted  for  use  in  School  Gardens,  Horticultural  and  Agricultural 
Colleges,  Private  Gardens,  etc.     Fcap.  4to,  6d. 


Works  by  HENRY  J.  WEBB,  Ph.D.,  B.Sc.  (Lond.). 

ELEMENTARY    AGRICULTURE.     A  Textbook    specially   adapted 

to  the  requirements  of  the  Board  of  Education,  the  Junior  Examination  of  the 
Royal  Agric  iltural  Society,  and  other  Examinations.  With  34  Illustrations. 
Crown  Svo,  2s.  6d. 

AGRICULTURE.     A  Manual  for  Advanced  Science  Students.     With 
100  Illustrations.     Crown  Svo,  7s.  6d.  net. 


LONGMANS,    GREEN    AND    CO., 
LONDON,  NEW  YORK,  BOMBAY,  CALCUTTA,  AND  MADRAS. 


Nfw  York  Bolanical  Oardvn  Ubrarv 

SB733  .M48 


Milburn  Thomas/Fungoid  diseases  of 


arm 


gen 


3  5185  00120  7065 


21 


'V: 


c: 


X- 


O 


in 


>  >