48 



by the injury from the 'damping-off' fimgus." "While I do not wish 

 to be understood as making any positive assertion in favor of the 

 Fusarium being the cause instead of bacteria [which were sometimes 

 found associated with it], I do think the evidence thus far in hand 

 gives greater support to the former view. The Fusarium is invariably 

 found both in cotton and in okra afflicted with the disease. Bacteria 

 are not always found in the diseased tissues, etc." Some experiments 

 by Professor Atkinson also led him to believe the external Fusarium 

 on cotton distinct from the internal one. 



RESTRICTION OF THE MELON WILT. 



While no cure is known for this disease, our knowledge of its cause 

 and manner of spread is now sufficiently exact and complete so that 

 certain rules of practice may be given. By carefully following these 

 the farmer will frequently avoid very serious losses. 



(1) Fields already infested with this fungus must not be jilanted to 

 melons for a long series of years. 



So far as yet known, canteloupes, cotton, peanuts, cowpeas, soy beans, 

 or velvet beans (Mucuna sp.) may be i)lanted on such fields without 

 danger. 



(2) Fields free from this disease may become infected by the wash 

 from lands already infested, and probably, also, by means of the dirt 

 adhering to agricultural implements and to the feet of horses and 

 cattle. For this reason, if cattle are pastured on such fields, they 

 should not be allowed to roam freely over uninfected j)arts of the farm, 

 and tools used on such lands should at least be scoured bright before 

 using on other fields. Where uplands are infected the wash from sud- 

 den heavy rain storms should be turned aside, as far as possible, from 

 uninfected lowlands. 



(3) Inasmuch as the vitality of the fungus is great and the wilting 

 melon vines are full of it, the danger for a half year or more from such 

 vines is very great. All such plants are magazines of infection. They 

 should be pulled while green, stacked with brush, and burned. Large 

 growers of melons could well afford to keep one man in the field all the 

 time for this purpose. The plants should be removed as soon as they 

 show distinct symptoms of the wilt, because at this time the fungus is 

 still confined to the interior of the stems and not likely to be scattered 

 about by the removal, as would be the case a few weeks later when the 

 vines are dry and the fungus has fruited abundantly on their surface. 

 This precaution should not be neglected simply because fields show 

 only here and there a wilted vine, since in course of a few years such 

 fields have been known to become so thoroughly occupied by the fungus 

 as to altogether prevent melon growing. 



(4) Occasionally the fungus is introduced into the barnyard, so that 

 the dung pile becomes a source of general infection to fields previously 

 free from the disease. This is apt to be the case where "melon hay" is 



