RUSTS IN DIFFERENT STATES. 13 



The writer has visited, in some cases at ditfereut tiraes, all the im- 

 portaut wheat-growing States except Pennsylvania, Washington, 

 Oregon, and California. The most extended tour was made in 1894, 

 when all the Avheat-growing States of the Great Plains and of the 

 Mississippi Valley were visited. However, on account of the drought 

 which prevailed during that season the conditions were in some respects 

 most unfavorable for a study of the rusts. To gain a very accurate 

 knowledge of conditions in the field a personal inspection of cereal 

 districts for three to five successive years would be necessary; but, 

 nevertheless, the observations just referred to, together with the replies 

 from correspondents, have furnished valuable information and have 

 made the situation much clearer than before. 



GENERAL OBSERVATIONS ON CEREAL RUSTS IN DIFFERENT STATES. 



New YorTc. — Kust does not seem to be as prevalent in this State as 

 in some others. Oats is often injured, especially in Erie and Wyoming 

 counties. Considerable spring wheat is raised, and it is always more 

 rusted than fall wheat, as are also late-sown wheat and oats. There 

 is considerable stem rust, but to what extent it prevails over the State 

 is not definitely known. Some counties in which rust is quite preva- 

 lent are Franklin, St. Lawrence, Cayuga, Schuyler, Wayne, Clinton, 

 Greene, and Cattaraugus. 



Pennsylrama. — The reports indicate tbat wheat is not extensively 

 damaged by rust, but that oats is very commonly injured. It is quite 

 probable, however, that much of the damage attributed to rust is due 

 to "oat blight," a supposed bacterial disease occurring in this State, 

 which gives the crop a yellowish red appearance. Fertilizers are sup- 

 posed to materially aid the grain to escape rust by causing rai)id 

 growth and early maturity. The rust is always worst in the lowlands. 

 Among the counties in which rust is especially prevalent are Columbia, 

 Adams, Berks, Franklin, Northampton, Schuylkill, Forest, Sullivan, 

 and Lackawanna. The standard varieties of wheat grown in this 

 State are Fultz, Lancaster, and Fulcaster. 



Maryland. — It is claimed that the application of fertilizers, especially 

 phosphates, has materially decreased the losses from rust in this State 

 in recent years. In the experiments conducted by the Department at 

 Garrett Park during three seasons there was an abundance of orange 

 leaf rust on wheat and crown rust on oats, but they did not appear to 

 do any particular damage. Black stem rust was not observed. As 

 in Pennsylvania, oat blight produces much of the injury commonly 

 ascribed to rust. Much oat rust has been reported from Cecil County. 



North Carolina, — Wheat is quite commonly injured by rust, but it is 

 not grown extensively in this State. The orange leaf rust seems to be 

 the prevailing species, though as yet it is uncertain whether it is the 

 only one present in cases of severe injury. One peculiar fact of interest 

 is that early wheat, such as Early May, is often more injured than late 



