AN EPIDEMIC OF CURRANT ANTIIRACNOSE.* 



F. C. STEWART AND H. J. EUSTACE. 



SUMMARY. 



During the past season the currant crop in the Hudson Valley 

 has been seriously injured by anthracnose, a fungous disease 

 causing the appearance of numerous small, dark brown spots 

 on the leaves, which turn yellow and fall prematurely. Currant 

 canes were quite generall}' defoliated early in the season and the 

 exposure of the ripening fruit to the sun brought about sun- 

 scald, resulting in a loss of nearly one-half the crop in some 

 plantations. 



The disease attacks the leaves, petioles, fruit, fruit stems and 

 canes. lu New York State it is present among currants almost 

 every season, but there is no record of its destructive occurrence 

 since 1889. Although it attacks also gooseberries and black 

 currants it has not injured them in the same locality where red 

 currants have been seriously damaged by it. It is readily dis- 

 tinguished from the ordinary leaf spot by the size of the spots, 

 which are much smaller. 



The weather conditions last spring seem to have been partic- 

 ularly favorable to it; but judging from the past history of the 

 disease it is not likely to become a constant pest. Fruit 

 growers need not be alarmed. Probably, it will become epi- 

 demic only occasionally. 



Although there are scarcely any experimental data at hand, 

 it is likely that anthracnose may be prevented by spraying 

 with Bordeaux mixture; and since currant worms make neces- 

 sary at least one application of Bordeaux, and leaf spot (a 



*A rcpriut of Bulletin No. 199. 



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