2(U) EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Concerning the destruction of mustard by spraying, F. Smeyers and J. Van- 

 DEKVAEREN {Rev. dell. AgYOii. [Lonmiti], IJ [190,^), No. 6, 'pp- 309-312). — A l^rief 

 account is given of experiments in which sohitions of sulphate of copper, sulphate of 

 iron, and nitrate of copper were sjirayed over oat fields for the destruction of mus- 

 tard. The relative efliciency an<l cost cf application of these different lierl)icidesare 

 shown, and comparing the cost the nitrate of copper is in some respects to he pre- 

 ferred. It is less expensive than the sulphate of copper, and when sprayed at the 

 rate of 900 to 1,000 liters per hectare the amount of nitrogen present has a fertilizing 

 value equal to an application of 8.5 kg. of nitrate of soda upon the same area. 



Experiments on the destruction of charlock by spraying {Dept. Agr. Cam- 

 bridge Univ. Rpt. 1903, pp. 15, Id). — Experiments were carried on in barley and oat 

 fields sown with clover and grasses to test the efhciency of solutions of nitrate of soda 

 for the destruction of charlock. This chemical has been recommended as a valuable 

 herlncide as well as having recognized value as a fertilizer. In May plats of an acre 

 each were sprayed witli <lifferent amounts of 10 and 20 per t-ent solutions of nitrate 

 of soda, and comparisons are made with the results obtained from a plat of 7 acres 

 spraye<l with copper sulj)hate. In m i case did the nitrate of soda show any appreciable 

 effect upon the charloc-k. The area sprayed with a 4 per cent solution of copper 

 sulphate at the rate of 40 gal. an acre was almost completely cleared of charlock 

 without any injury to the barley, oats, or clover plants. The areas treated with the 

 nitrate of soda were so infested with weeds that it was resolved to spray them when 

 the charlock had come into flower with a 4 per cent solution of copper sulphate. 

 Even at this advanced stage of growth the effect was quite marked and but few 

 charlock plants survivcil tlic treatment. 



A brier and blackberry bush eradicator, H. W. Potts {.Tour. Dept. Agr. Vic- 

 toria, 1 {1903) , No. 1, p. 27). — It is said that the sulphuric acid left in the flasks used 

 in testing milk samples is of practical value for destroying briers, blackberry bushes, 

 wild roses, etc. Half a pint of this waste acid poured about the stem of a plant and 

 the main roots will destrov the bushes within a few davs. 



DISEASES OF PLANTS. 



Report of the mycologist, F. D. Chester {Delaienre Sfa. Rpt. 1901, pp. 36-50, 

 fig^. 9). — A report is given of some diseases of cantaloujaes, treatment for pear canker, 

 experiment in bagging plums for the prevention of plum rot, and spraying for the 

 treatment of jilum rot. Among the diseases of cantaloui^es 2 leaf blights, one due to 

 Macrosporium cucumerinuin, and a second due to an undetermined species of Cercos- 

 pora, are described. These leaf blights are reported as being associated with each 

 other and have caused considerable losses by checking the growth and preventing 

 the ripening of fruit. In one locality it is estimated that half the crop was lost, due 

 to these diseases. The technical characters of the fungi are described at considerable 

 length. In the case of the leaf l)light due to the Cercospora, efforts to obtain I'ultures 

 from which inoculation experiments could be conducted have failed, but further 

 investigations will be made in this direction. 



A third disease of the cantaloupe, called sligmonose, is characterized by a bleach- 

 ing of the chlorophyll along the veins of the leaf. It is believed that this is caused 

 by aphid punctures and recourse should 1 )e had t( > insecticides to keep the melon vines 

 free from plant lice. 



The experiments for the treatment of pear canker are in continuation of the descrip- 

 tion of the disease previously given (E. S. K., 13, p. 254). The canker was generally 

 prevalent during the year covered by the report, being especially troublesome among 

 Keiffer trees. The disease apparently became chronic and a number of trees were 



