948 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



to be taken, but the application of iron sulphate at the rate of 70 lbs. i)er acre, 

 burning over infested areas, rotation with oats or other plants which do not 

 seem to be subject to the disease, and allowing the land to lie fallow for a 

 season or longer have been recommended. In view of the differences in su-s- 

 ceptibility, the author thinks that there is more prospect of combating the 

 trouble by the selection of resistant varieties. 



In addition to wheat, the fungus is known to attack barley grass, vi'heat 

 grasses, and other sjiecies of grass. 



A potato leaf blotch fungus new to America, L. R. Jones (Alts, in Science. 

 n. ser., 25 {1901), No. 63.'i, pp. 291, 292). — In this abstract, Vercospora concors 

 is reported as occurring in 3 well separated stations in Vermont during .} 

 diffei'ent seasons, the first being in 1902. In every case the fungus has been 

 found in old gardens, and indications are that it is a well-established parasite 

 on the cultivated potato and is probably widely distributed in the longer 

 settled regions of the northeastern parts of the United States and Canada. 



The fungus attacks are confined to the leaves, where it develops concurrently 

 with the early and late blight fvuigi, to which it bears so close a resemblance 

 in appearance that it has probably been overlooked heretofore. It is believed 

 that spraying will hold it in cheek. 



A detailed account of this new disease is ]>roniised in the report of the 

 Vermont Station for liiOd. 



Some potato diseases, their cause and control, A. Nelson (Wi/oniiii!/ »S7(/. 

 Bui. 11, pp. 39, figs. 11). — Descriptions are given of early and late blight or rot 

 of potatoes, Rhizoctonia disease, which is widely distributed, and potato scab. 

 For the prevention of these diseases, spraying with Bordeaux mixture is rec- 

 ommended for early and late blight, while soil and seed treatment and rotation 

 of crops are suggested as remedies for the Rhizoctonia and seal). 



The deep scab of beets, F. C. von Faber (Arh. K. Biol. Anst. Land n. 

 Forstw., 5 {1901), So. (>. pp. 3.',2-350, pi. 1). — The author briefly reviews some 

 of the literature relating to the deep scab of beets, paying particular attention 

 to the publications of Bolley (E. S. R., 3, p. 619), Frank (E. S. R., 10, p. 170), 

 and others, after which he describes the anatomical structure of deep scab and 

 considers the cause of the disease. Attention is called to the statement of 

 Bolley that the deep scab is due to a bacteroid fungus. By the usual means 

 the author has separated the organism, cultivated it in various media, and car- 

 ried out successful inoculation experiments with pure cultures. He was unable 

 to identify the organism with any known species and has named it Bacterium 

 scabieffenitin, a technical description of which is given. 



A study of disease resistance in watermelons, W. A. Orton {Ahs. in Science, 

 n. ser., 25 {1901), Xo. (hi'/, p. 2S8). — A brief accoimt is given of results of work 

 on the watermelon wilt {NeocosinoKpora rasinfecta nivea). In studying this 

 fungus the resistance of more than 100 varieties of American and Russian 

 melons was tested and none of them proved to be immune. A hybrid between 

 the watermelon and the citron or stock melon has been obtained, which in the 

 third generation is said to have good edible qualities and at the same time is 

 quite resistant to the fungus. 



The use of common salt for the prevention of g-ummosis of fruit trees, 

 E. VAN Hecke {Jour. 8oc. Agr. Brabant et Hainaut, 52 {1901), No. IS, pp. 3G6, 

 361). — ^The author cites the observations of H. De Greeff in Zealand and C. 

 Heime in China, both of whom claim that peaches, apricots, and similar fruit 

 trees do not suffer from gunuuosis when grown near the sea or in soils contain- 

 ing appreciable quantities of salt. 



Following this suggestion, experiments were conducted in which trees receiv- 

 ing 1, 2, and 3 lbs. of salt each were compared with others receiving none. At 



