Abstract: An agent for controlling snow blight disease damage, which comprises a filamentous fungus of the genus Humicola exhibiting an antagonistic activity against the pathogenic fungi of snow blight diseases but harmless to animals and plants or which comprises a microbial product containing such filamentous fungus, as well as a method for controlling snow blight diseases using such control agent which allows an efficient control of snow blight. In particular the fungus is Humicola grisea var. grisea FERM BP-5452.

Abstract: A transplant machine including a bucket for digging a plant such as trees and shrubs from the ground, a main frame for pivotably supporting the bucket, an arm for lifting the main frame, a shaft extending from the main frame at right angles and an intermediate frame for connecting the main frame with the lifting arm such that the frame can rotate about the shaft relative to the lifting arm. The frame and the bucket rotate together. As the main frame rotates about the shaft, the bucket rotate with the main frame. Therefore, the transplant machine can change a direction of the a tree after a digging operation. In other words, it is possible to turn the tree while the bucket is holding the tree above the ground. During the turning of the tree, the lifting arm (or a main body of the transplant apparatus) is stopped since the intermediate frame allows the main frame and the bucket to rotate relative to the lifting arm. The bucket may be removable from the lifting arm.