416 Report of the Mycologist. 



must be absolutely without avail. In the application of fungi- 

 cides to the soil there is a possibility of success but it can 

 scarcely be said that this line of treatment is a promising one. 

 Soil treatment for the fungous and bacterial diseases of plants 

 has been successful in only a few instances. Lime is known to 

 be a remedy for the club-foot disease of cabbage and the experi- 

 ments of Thaxter* indicate that sulphur applied to the soil is a 

 preventive of onion smut; but neither of these substances seems 

 to have any beneficial effect on the sweet corn disease. Two rows 

 of sweet corn (one row of Manhattan and one row of Early Cory) 

 fifty feet in length were treated with air-slaked lime by scatter- 

 ing the lime, at the rate of 900 pounds per acre, in the drills with 

 the seed. Two other rows of sweet corn (same varieties) were 

 treated in the same manner with flowers of sulphur applied at 

 the rate of 300 pounds per acre. Every plant in the four rows 

 died from the disease, in most cases without forming ears. In 

 the case of the lime it may be that better results would have been 

 obtained if the lime had been applied to the soil several months 

 before planting.f 



The planting of non-susceptible varieties, as far as practicable, 

 is, of course, to be recommended. There are marked differences 

 of susceptibility among varieties, and this fact can often be 

 turned to good advantage. In case it is necessary to plant sus- 

 ceptible varieties it may be found advantageous to soak the seed 

 before planting in some germicide ; for example, a weak solution 

 of corrosive sublimate. However, treatment of the seeds with 

 chemicals must be made with caution as there is danger of injur- 

 ing the germination. The ears of diseased plants should never 

 be used for seed. 



♦Thaxter, R. Conn. Agl. Exp. Sta. Ann. Rept., 1889, pp. 146-152. 



tif air-slaked lime is applied the fall before the spring in which the cabbages are set 

 it prevents the cUib-foot to a great extent, but if applied at the time of setting it has 

 but little effect. A notable example of this was observed at Woodbury, N. Y., the 

 present season. A large seed-bed for cabbage and cauliflower was given a heavy appli- 

 cation of air-slakod lime just before the seeds were sown. Nearly all the plants became 

 affected with club-foot. 



