8 The Bulletin. 



Dissemination. — Old stalks or stubble in the field may carry the dis- 

 ease over from one season to the next. Wind distributes the spores. 

 The storage rots hold over in dirty bins. 



Infection. — The Diplodia fungus can enter the roots of the plant, 

 grow upward in the stalk, and invade the ear through the shank. Also 

 spores deposited by the wind can infect the young silk and thus reach 

 the ear. The fungous threads enter the seed, but these seed do not germ- 

 inate, and therefore do not directly transmit the disease. Fields devoted 

 continuously to corn suffer more than others. Wet weather conditions 

 greatly increase the chances of the fungus to affect the corn. 



Fig. 3. Corn Ear Rot. Note the white growth" of the fungus and the shriveled condition of the 

 grain. Photo, by E. Meade Wilcox. 



Control. — Destroy trash in the field as much as possible by fall plow- 

 ing. Do not plant corn oftener than once in three years in fields or 

 spots where the disease is bad. Be sure that ears are mature before 

 harvesting and are cured before storing. Storage places must be clean, 

 dry and well ventilated. Disinfect old bins or barrels with formalde- 

 hyde solution, one pint full strength to forty gallons of water. Feed- 

 ing moldy corn to stock may bring on serious disease symptoms, and 

 must be done with the greatest caution. It is best not to feed moldy 

 corn at all. 



COTTON ANTHRACNOSE. 



Distribution in North Carolina. — Anthranose has been reported from 

 the majority of cotton growing counties, from Cleveland and Iredell to 

 the coast, and northward to those bordering on the Virginia line. It has 

 been introduced largely in seed from more southern States where the 

 disease is very widespread. 



Cotton is the only plant affected. 



Other names for the disease are pink boll and boll rot. 



Symptoms. — Bolls develop brown sunken spots that enlarge to about 

 half an inch, and develop a pink growth over the surface. Affected bolls 

 split open prematurely. (See cut on front cover.) In badly affected 

 bolls the lint is rotted or becomes discolored and weak. Seedling plants 

 develop brown ulcers on the seed leaves, or on the lower stem, in which 

 latter case the plants die and the stand may thus be seriously affected. 

 The pinkish growth distinguishes anthracnose from other types of boll 

 rot. Seedling plants may be attacked by Rhizoctonia, causing "sore- 



