DISEASES OF PLANTS. 257 



quantity and of poor quality. Tables are given showing that the purity quotient as 

 well as the percentage of available sugar is much lower in diseased than in healthy 

 tissue. 



Experiments with fertilizers generally gave negative results, though manure was of 

 some benefit from increasing the humus in the soil. Lime also had a beneficial effect 

 in a few cases. It was not possible to control the disease by draining the soil, although 

 this had some influence in retarding its appearance. All experiments indicate that 

 the root rot is due in some manner still unexplained to the physical condition of the 

 soil. 



Regarding the resistance of varieties the author found that all varieties are liable 

 to the disease, but the kind known as Djamprohriel is the most resistant. 



In 1898 a disease of sugar cane was described under the name of bacteriosis, by 

 Raciborski. It is characterized by the decay of the tissue in the lower part of the 

 stem, the decay being accompanied by a strong sour odor. It appears most fre- 

 quently where plants suffer from too much water, the immediate cause being cer- 

 tain usually harmless ground bacteria, which multiply in the cells already broken 

 down I)y an excess of water and an insufficient supply of air. The disease is not 

 tmly parasitic, but is due to the unfavorable conditions under which the cane grows. 

 Infection experiments all failed except when conditions were provided similar to 

 those under which the plants become diseased in the field, and in those cases the 

 check plants as well as the infected ones became diseased. — h. m. pietees. 



Finger and toe of cruciferous plants {Jour. Bd. Agr. \_London'], 7 (1900), No. 

 3, pp. 350-352). — A brief account is given of the disease generally known as club root 

 of cruciferous plants, and the use of lime at the rate of 3 tons per acre is recom- 

 mended as a preventive treatment. As the fungus causing this disease attacks a great 

 number of plants of the mustard family, special attention should be paid to weeds, 

 such as charlock, wild mustard, and shepherd's purse. 



Notes on celery blight, C. O. Townsexd {3faryland Sta. Bid. 74, pp. 167-182, 

 figs. 9). — A description is given of the celery blight {Cercosjwra apii) and an account 

 of observations and experiments made in 1898, 1899, and 1900, in which the effect of 

 shading and spraying the plants with ammoniacal copper carbonate solution and 

 Bordeaux mixture is given. As a result of the experiments it is shown that the celery 

 blight may be kept under control l)y the use of either of the fungicides. The tabular 

 report shows the best results were obtained wliere the plants were sprayed once a 

 week with Bordeaux mixture, but the author believes that ammoniacal copper car- 

 bonate would prove as satisfactory should the treatment be begun when the plants 

 are in the seed bed and continue throughout the season until the weather becomes 

 cool enough to prevent the development of the fungus. Shading retarded to some 

 extent the progress of the disease, but did not prevent it completely. 



Onion smut, A. D. Selby (Ohio Sta. Bid. 122, pp. 71-84, fig>^. 4)- — A brief account 

 is given of the history of the onion smut fungus {Uruci/stii^ cepuhr), its distribution 

 and manner of infection are descril)ed, and general directions given for the prevention 

 of its spread. A preliminary account is given of exi)oriments conducted for tlie pre- 

 vention of this disease. Trials with sulphur and a solution of formaldehyde, and the 

 use of phosphatic fertilizers were made in 1899 without any definite results. In 1890 

 field trials were made with the use of sulphur, various solutions of formaldehyde, 

 salicylate of soda, salicylic acid, and lime. The results of these different treatments 

 are shown in tabular form, and it appears that the germination of the seed was 

 injured to some extent by a treatment of sulphur, salicylic acid, salicylate of soda, 

 and lime slaked by sprinkling water up(jn it after application; while favorable influ- 

 ence on germination was exerted by the formalin and possibly by soil treatment of 

 lime. The results obtained by the different treatments showed a decided superiority 

 for the plats which had received formalin and lime, and based upon the i)reliniinary 

 experiment given the author recommends the application of formalin at the rate of 



