86 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



spots appear to be foniied from Ihe altered substance of the bark, which 

 is chani^fd in color and cracks away around the margin from the sur- 

 roundinji" bark, Avhich renuiins in its normal condition; i)erithecia at 

 first solitary, tinally two to four or more scattered on the same disk; 

 sporous obiong oroblonj^j elliptical, smoky hyoline, uuiseptate, 6 to 

 8 by 21/^ to 3V2 m- The fun«;us soon kills the limbs. 



ASPARAGUS RUST. 



This disease was first reported in Michigan, August 18, 1898, by Mr, 

 L. W. Ruth, of Benton Harbor, Mich. 



Mr. Ruth was advised to cut the canes and when dry to burn the field, 

 hoping thereby to destroy a large number of the winter spores which 

 had fallen to the ground. This was done, but the disease was not 

 checked to any appreciable extent. 



During the fall of 1899 Mr. Paul Thayer, at my suggestion, collected 

 some facts, showing a great increase in the spread of the rust about 

 Benton Harbor during 1899. The disease seems to be worse on the light 

 dry soils. Mr. Thayer found the disease present on seventeen planta- 

 tions which aggregated sixty-six and one-half acres. 



The only treatments given were by Mr. Ewald, who sprayed with 

 Bordeaux, and Mr. Ruth, who cut and burned the canes, with no good 

 results in either case. 



Whether any preventive measures can be used, beyond proper manur- 

 ing and cultivation, remains to be found out by future experiments. 



NAMING PLANTS. 



Hundreds of plants have been sent for names during the year. Among 

 these may be specially mentioned a bundle of over two hundred sedges 

 sent by the Division of Agrostology of the U. S. Department of Agricul- 

 ture, Washington, D. C; one hundred and forty-five plants collected by 

 Prof. U. P. Hedrick, near Logan, Utah. 



JNIany teachers, as well as farmers and fruit growers, s^nd plants and 

 weeds to be named. ?5everal persons in other parts of the State have 

 sent well preserved specimens of the plants of their localities, which 

 have been named and turned into the general herbarium to the advan- 

 tage of all, 



A large proportion of the plants received are weeds, sent mainly by 



farmers and fruit growers. 



HERBARIUM WORK. 



Work m the College herbarium requires a good deal of time during 

 the whole of the year. Unfortunately, the station, as such, possesses 

 no separate herbarium, and there can be no distinction between College 

 and station work here. 



C. F. WHEELER, 



C'<>)is ultlng Botanist^ 



ACRICULTI'RAL COLLEGE. MiCH., 



.Turn 30, 1900. 



