398 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Rpplication for blotch ; Bordeaux mixture controlled the disease, 

 while lime-sulphur solution was efficacious only in mild cases. Sphae- 

 ropsis spots were prevented by lime-sulphur solution in all demonstra- 

 tions and experimental orchards. The spot on the Jonathan and the 

 Spitzenberg has been shown to be due neither to injury by arsenate of 

 lead nor to a fungous parasite. Early picking and prompt cold stor- 

 age has been found efficacious. The New Hampshire fruit-spot was 

 easily controlled in Delaware by spraying. A fruit-spot on the 

 Grimes Golden in storage has been shown to be due to a fungus. 

 The physiological disease known as bitter-pit, which has heretofore 

 baffled all attempts at treatment, is being especially investigated. 



Deciduous-fruit rots. — It is proposed to push investigations 

 already started and to make a thorough pathological study of the 

 factors concerned in the decay of apples, pears, peaches, and grapes, 

 particularly of the fungous decays and the conditions controlling 

 them, to the end that the enormous losses to fruit in storage and in 

 transportation may be at least partially prevented. 



Citrus diseases. — The investigation of diseases of citrus fruits 

 heretofore studied incidentally is now to be pushed vigorously. Mr. 

 J. G. Grossenbacher, formerly of the Geneva experiment station, has 

 been employed to take up this branch of the work, which will include 

 the study of the diseases of subtropical fruits, especially in Florida 

 and California. 



Diseases or the cranberry and other small fruits. — Spraying 

 experiments and demonstrations with grape, cranberry, and goose- 

 berry diseases have been carried on with success in several localities. 

 A study of the rots of cranberries in storage and transit has been 

 undertaken. The results of work on anthracnose, bitter-rot, and ripe- 

 rot of fruits indicate that these diseases are due to the same organism, 

 a fact of much importance in connection with their control. 



A comparative study of the behavior of fruit parasites, in Europe 

 and America, has revealed many interesting facts bearing upon the 

 distribution, identity, and probable danger from the introduction of 

 foreign diseases. Further progress has also been made in the study 

 and control of diseases of strawberries, blackberries, gooseberries, and 

 currants. 



Plans for future work. — It is proposed to continue investigations, 

 along essentially the lines already mentioned, during the present 

 fiscal year; also to establish in the Middle West a field station simi- 

 lar to that at Cornelia, Ga., particularly for the investigation of 

 apple diseases. During the fiscal year 1914 it is expected that still 

 further attention will be devoted to research work, particularly to 

 the difficult physiological problems, to the cause and methods of con- 

 trol of the fruit decays, and especially to strengthen the work on 

 citrus diseases. The work on deciduous fruit spots is to be continued 

 along lines which have been so successful in the past. 



INVESTIGATIONS IN FOREST PATHOLOGY. 



The investigations of the diseases of forest and ornamental trees 

 have confined under the direction of Dr. Haven Metcalf on about the 

 same lines as in previous years. 



