New York Agricultural Experiment Station. 123 



has reduced the vitality of the plants, until the growing of as- 

 paragus in the market garden section around New York City 

 ha^ been practically abandoned. In sections like the east end of 

 Long Island and Oneida and Madison. Counties, where the can- 

 ning factories take the larger portion of the crop, the growers 

 are tenaciously retaining their beds although harvesting a lighter 

 crop each year. The records of the Hudson Canning Company, 

 Mattituck, N. Y., show that the average yield per acre for sea- 

 sons prior to the outbreak of the asparagus rust varied between 

 1,500 and 2,500 bunches, while during 1899 and 1900 the aver- 

 age yield varied from 800 to 750 bunches per acre. 



Some growers, however, are increasing their acreage, hoping 

 that the rust will not be as bad in the future; that some variety 

 will prove rust-proof; or that some other means of controlling 

 the disease will be found. That the first two of these methods 

 of relief are possible has been the opinion of several eminent 

 pathologists; but thus far no such conditions have been reached. 

 The rust, instead of abating, has been rapidly increasing in de- 

 structiveness; and no strictly rust-proof varieties have, as yet, 

 been found. It is true that in some sections the Palmetto 

 variety has been reported as being partially rust-proof; but it has 

 not proven itself so under the conditions found in this State. In 

 fact, it was one of the first varieties to be injured by the " cluster 

 cup " stage in 1900. Even the Argenteuil, which is being put 

 forward at present as rust .proof, succumbed to the attacks of the 

 rust during the past season. Whether it was as badly injured 

 as some other varieties cannot be said, as it was not observed 

 growing under field conditions. 



. In addition to resistant varieties, the following have been ad- 

 vocated as means of controlling the rust: Methods of cultiva- 

 tion and fertilization, burning, and even planting on heavy soils. 

 Spraying has also been suggested; but for reasons given furtlier 

 on, most writers on asparagus rust have held out but little hope 

 along this line. 



The persistence of asparagus rust, with the evident ruining 

 of the canning industry, if not of the culture of asparagus as a. 



