New York Agricultural Experiment Station. 415 



DISSEMINATION OF THE GERM. 



The chief method of dissemination of the germ is, probably, by 

 diseased seed. That seed from diseased plants may contain the 

 germs, usually in great number, is certain, and we have proven 

 by experiment that some, at least, of these germs retain their 

 vitality long enough to infect the plants of the new crop. Plants 

 of the variety Early Cory were grown in pots of sterilized earth 

 which were watered, when the rain-fall was insufiScient, with 

 sterilized water. Every precaution, except that the pots were not 

 covered, was taken to prevent contamination and yet several of 

 the plants developed the disease. In this case, the infection must 

 have been brought about by germs which clung to the seed. As 

 an item of contradictory evidence, it should be mentioned that a 

 pure culture of the germ on potato agar was found to be dead at 

 the end of eleven months. 



Another common way in which the germ is disseminated is in 

 the use of stable manure made by animals which have been fed 

 on the diseased corn stalks. It may also be disseminated by 

 means of the implements used in cultivation and by the washing 

 of the soil during heavy rains. 



GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION. 



The disease occurs in abundance throughout Long Island. 

 The only other locality in which it is positively known to occur 

 is in Iowa, and the proof of its existence there is based upon the 

 experiment above mentioned, in which Iowa-grown seed planted 

 in pots of sterilized earth produced plants which developed the 

 disease. A wilt disease of early sweet corn has been reported to 

 us from Madison, N. J., but no specimens were sent. In view of 

 the fact that the disease may be disseminated by means of the 

 seed, it is impossible to believe that it is confined to Long Island. 

 In all probability it is widespread. 



REMEDIES. 



Since the cause of the disease is entirely within the tissues and 

 probably gains entrance through the subterranean parts of the 

 plant, the application of fungicides to the parts above ground 



