124 liKPORT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF JBoTANY OF TUE 



disease known to be preventable by spraying) is always more or, 

 less prevalent, and it seems likely that the destructive disease 

 known as cane blight may be checked, it is recommended that 

 currants in the Hudson Valley be sprayed regularly every sea- 

 son. 



INTRODUCTION. 



The region between Highland and Newburgh in the Hudson 

 River Valley is the principal fruit-growing section of Eastern 

 New York. Grapes, peaches, raspberries and currants are grown 

 extensively. Currants are grown more extensively here than in 

 any other part of the State. They constitute one of the leading 

 fruit crops in this famous fruit-growing section. 



While visiting this locality June 13 and 14, 1901, we observed 

 that the currant foliage was quite generally affected with a form 

 of leaf blight or anthracnose caused by the fungus Gloeosporium 

 ribis. The lower leaves were yellow and thickly covered with 

 very small brown spots. Almost all the currant plantations 

 were more or less affected and the presence of the disease could 

 be detected at a considerable distance by the yellow color of the 

 foliage. In some cases the leaves were already dropping quite 

 freely. Fruit growers were alarmed. They were not accus- 

 tomed to see the currant foliage behave in this way. 



Since there seemed liable to be an epidemic of this somewhat 

 unusual disease we planned to watch its progress. During the 

 remainder of the season we made frequent visits to the locality 

 and kept close watch on the disease, particularly in a badly 

 affected plantation on the farm of Mr. J. A. Hepworth near INIil- 

 ton. This plantation consisted of about five acres in a peach 

 orchard on high, well-drained, slaty soil. 



SYMPTOMS. 



The disease works from below, upward. The lower loaves 

 become thickly covered with small dark-brown spots, turn j-ellow 

 and fall. The disease appears in June and continues active 

 throughout the season or until the bushes have been completely 

 defoliated. In the present case it must have appeared rather 



