I'iO Report of the Botanist of the 



acres of Columbian Wliito asparagus at Matlituck, New York. 

 On August 14, every epear of the asparagus was cut and removed 

 from the field, by the owner. Two weeks later a fairly good 

 stand of half-grown asparagus stalks covered the field. On Sep- 

 tember 7, this new growth was badly rusted, and by the first of 

 October it was as nearly dead as was the first growth previous 

 to cutting. As a result, the bed was so weakened that it had to 

 be abandoned in 1900. The author believes that American 

 v> liters never intended to recommend cutting early in the fall, 

 although in an article in Garden and Forest Dr. Halsted^'' says, 

 '■ The only safe thing to do whc^i a serious enemy like this is in 

 an asparagus field is to burn the plants even to the last scrap 

 tliat can be gathered up. Let this be done at once, for any delay 

 means the breaking up of the brittle, rusty plants, and a gener- 

 ous sowing of the sjiores upon the ground." Unfortunately 

 Long Island growers are not the only ones who have tested cut- 

 ting and burning too early in the fall. 



In asparagus growing sections like Long Island where a large 

 amount of asparagus grows wild in hedgerows and neglected 

 fields, where also worn-out fields are allowed to run wild, it is 

 doubtful if cutting and burning even late in the fall will ever be 

 of much benefit. Even with a law compelling all growers to cut 

 and burn their beds in October, it still remains an open question 

 whether the spores which fall to the ground will not thoroughly 

 seed the field for another season. 



In addition to burning Dr. Halsted" has suggested plowing 

 and the application of lime as a means of disposing of the scat- 

 tered spores which lie on the surface of the field. This method 

 may be worth a trial where level culture is practised, but would 

 be of little value where ridging is followed. 



RESISTANT VARIETIES. 



In ISOO Dr. Halsted^^ noticed that the Palmetto variety was 

 apparently not injured as much by the rust as some other varie- 



'"Garihn and Forest, 9:3'J5, 1S9G. 



"N. J. Agr. Exp. Sta. Bill. 129, p. 15. 



-N. J. Agr. Exp. Sta. Rept. 189G, p. 409-^10. 



