EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETINS 165 



berry rust or leaf bliyht. This attacks, uot only the leaves, but the fruit stalks aucl 

 the calyx, or husk, about the berries, and the injury is then so severe that the 

 crop fails to ripen. It appears first as a purplish spot upon the leaves, but as 

 this enlarges the center becomes brown, and tinally white, -^f these spots are 

 numerous upon the leaves, the tissue finally dries out and the entire leaf will be 

 destroyed The injury is even more severe vvhen upon the fruit sterns, as a very 

 small spot will be sufficient to girdle them, and the shrivelling and drying of the 

 fruit will follow. 



There is a marked difference in the susceptibility of the different varieties to 

 att^ick by this disease, and in selecting varieties for planting those that are the 

 least subject to attack should be chosen. Some of tlie kinds that when free from 

 a disease are very productive become almost worthless when the conditions favor 

 the development of the fungus. When grown under conditions that favor a normal 

 growth, and when they are not subjected to a check, even the kinds that are most 

 subject to injury frequently escape. Experiments have frequently shown that all 

 varieties can be kept practically free from the attack of this disease if properly 

 sprayed with Bordeaux mixture. In setting out a new plantation care should be 

 taken to obtain plants that are practically free from disease, and all leaves that 

 show signs of an attack should be removed and burned. As there may be spores 

 of the disease upon the remaining leaves, it will be well to dip the plants into 

 Bordeaux mixture, and after they have been set in the field, after a week or ten 

 days, they should receive a spraying with the same material. One or two 

 other applications at intervals of two weejis will also be advisable, and still an- 

 other should be made about the first of August in case diseased leaves can be 

 found at that time. The following spring the plants should be sprayed as soon as 

 growth has started, and a second application should be made after the flower buds 

 have formed, but before they open. As noted above, the use of Bordeaux mixture 

 at this time will have a marked effect against the strawberry weevil, especially 

 if Paris green is added. This treatment will ordinarily carry through the varieties 

 that are most subject to the attack of leaf blight without serious injury. If the 

 plantation is to be kept for another year, it will be well to burn it over, and to 

 spray as soon as the new leaves have formed. 



A BACTERIAL DISEASE OF THE STRAWBERRY. 



Although it does not cause much trouble in Michigan, we have received a number 

 of specimens of plant affected witli some form of bacterial disease. These were 

 from soils that had ueen enriched with nitrogenous fertilizers and contained a large 

 amount of humus, and the diseased condition appeared after periods of warm, 

 moist weather. The conditions under which the disease proves troublesome will 

 point out the preventive remedies, but if the disease makes its appearance in a 

 plantation, it will be well to at once remove and burn the afCected plants. Care 

 should be taken in putting out a new plantation to obtain healthy plants. Land in 

 which the disease has appeared should not again be used for strawberries within 

 several years. 



NOTES ON VARIETIES. 



For a number of years this department has issued bulletins, giving the results 

 of its trials Avith a large number of strawberries. An attempt has been made to 

 keep the collection as complete as possible by the addition each year of the new 

 varieties that are placed upon the market. We have also attempted to secure all 

 new and promising seedings from the originators before ever placed upon the mar- 

 ket in order that the public might be informed as to their value. Comparatively 

 few of the sorts thus obtained have been deemed worthy of general introductioii, 

 and after trying them two or three years they have been dropped from our lists.' 

 Such varieties as seem to have merits that will make them worthy of planting, 

 either for home use or for market, have been retained and if especially worthy have 

 been put out in numbers sufficient to afford a thorough test. In order 'that we might 

 be still better informed as to the value of the varieties for planting in different 

 parts of the State, we have each year selected a number of kinds that are highly 

 recommended and that to us seem to havfe some merit, and have sent a dozen plants 

 of each kind to fruit growers in different parts of the State. In selecting these an 

 endeavor has been made to place the plants in the hands of parties wno will give 



