THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 



71 



black hard mass often found forms the sclerotia ; minute cells, known as 

 spores, are usually formed. These are the seeds, if we may so speak. 

 The spores, mycelium and sclerotia, each and all, will reproduce the 

 funo'us. 



The mycelium often appears as mold. If spots, wilt, knots or any 

 blight appear on leaves, stem, crown or roots, we may suspect that some 

 fungus is present. We may introduce a fungus in our seed, or we may 



s. ^ ^ % • • ^ 



A" • • • • • • 



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Fig. 17. — Weed seeds that are often found as impurities in commercial alfalfa seed; 

 plioto to the left much enlarged; seeds on right natural size. (1) alfalfa, (2) sweet 

 clover, (3) curly dock, (4) Russian thistle. (5) dodder ( Cil scuta s-p.) , (6) chicory, (7) 

 plantain, (8) dodder (Cuscuta planiflora) , (9) blacli seeded plantain, (10) cliarlock. 

 (Photo by Geo. P. Weldon.) 



introduce it by soil inoculation from a field where the fungus exists. 

 The spores may be conveyed by wind, so we are all interested in keeping 

 these fungi entirely out of our State. 



The copper sulphate (bluestone) solutions, lime-sulphur spray and 

 the cutting out of blight, as soon as it appears, are the methods of 

 control. 



IRRIGATION. 



In some cases the water table is so high that subirrigation is possible. 

 This of course is a great saving of labor. It is estimated that five per 

 cent of the alfalfa is thus watered. My own ranch on the Sacramento 



