1152 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



2 years in snccession in tlie same locality, and growers need not hesitate to 

 plant beets in the field, even though the entire crop was destroyed by the curly 

 top disease the previous year. There appear indications that a strain of beets 

 resistant to this disease may be developed. 



Red rot of the sugar cane stem, L. Lewton-Brain {Huwaiian Sugar Plant- 

 ers'' Sta., Dir. Path, and Physiol. Bid. S, pp. J/G, figs. 15). — The author gives a:i 

 account of his investigations on the red rot of sugar cane, due to Collctotrichum 

 jaJcatum. This disease, which was originally described from Java, has since 

 been reported in a number of cane-growing regions, but there seems to be little 

 evidence that it has ever become severely epidemic in Hawaii. It appears, 

 however, that there have been occasional outbreaks and tliat these have lieen 

 unnoticed or referred to borers. 



The disease is said to have no external symptoms by which it can be imme- 

 diately recognized, and it is probable that the first indication of its presence 

 will be a noticeable falling off in the sugar content of the cane. A description 

 and illustration are given of the internal characters, the most characteristic of 

 which are white spots surrounded by a well-defined red border. It appears 

 that the disease is limited to the inner sweet tissues of the cane. 



The fungus seems to be a wound parasite, and in Hawaii enters the cane 

 usually through wounds made by the cane borer (SplicnoitlKjrus obscurus). It 

 may also be perpetuated by the planting of diseased cuttings. The loss due to 

 its presence will vary with the susceptibility of the varieties. In some instances 

 it may result in the death of the canes, but in most cases the damage is confined 

 to a reduction in the sucrose content. 



A large number of experlm<;»nts have shown that the fungus readily inverts 

 sucrose, and in culture exi)erimeuts it will convert practically all the sucrose 

 in a solution into dextrose and levulose. Ily grinding the mycelium with (piartz 

 sand, an enzym was extracted which experiments showed to be cai)able of the 

 conversion. 



The author recommends careful selection of cuttings as a preventive treat- 

 ment for the red rot, and if this should fail, the planting of certain resistant 

 varieties, among them Yellow Caledonia. 



Some tobacco seed-bed troubles, W. T. Horne (Cii1)a Rcr., 6 (1908), Xo. 3, 

 pp. 2.'i, 25). — An account is given of experiments in sterilizing the soil of seed 

 beds by the use of formalin for the jirevention of damping off of tobacco 

 seedlings. 



Cabbage resistance to black rot, S. F. Eowauds {Ann. L'pt. Ontario Agr. Col. 

 and E.rpt. Farm, 33 (1901), p. 13'i). — A rei)ort is given of exi)eriments in testing 

 the resistance of cabbage to the bacterial black rot, and it is stated that one 

 variety, Houser, grew with great vigor and suffered no appreciable injury from 

 the disease. Potted plants of this variety were inoculated with pure cultures 

 of the black-rot organism, but under the most severe laboratory conditions they 

 suffered but little injury. It is believed that this variety is practically immune 

 to black rot under field conditions. 



Sclerotia on carrots, F. L. Stevens {North Carolina Stu. Rpt. 1!)07, pp. 31, 32, 

 fig. 1). — A diseased condition of carrots is described in which tlie roots bore 

 small sunken areas, somewhat soft, and usually bearing sti'ands of white cot- 

 ton-like mycelia. Later the diseased spots enlarged and the whole area was 

 covered with a dense felt of white mycelia. When carrots in the incipient 

 stages of the disease were placed in a moist chamber they developed within 24 

 hours a luxuriant growth of white mycelia. 



The fungus causing this rot is believed to be the same as that described in 

 Florida as occurring on eggplants, tomatoes, and other plants (E. S. R., 5, p. 

 790). 



