268 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



A paper by Prof. L. 11. raiiiuiel on •' Root lot of rutabagas" was read 

 by the secretary. A fatal root rot of rutabagas was fouud to be due 

 to a new species of bacillus, described as B(icilh(s campeMrh. It was 

 first noticed in 18!)!^, and in 18!>;i destroyed about 50 per cent, of the 

 crop. It also attacks yelluw turnips, beets, and sugar beets. The 

 attack ordinarily begins in the crown and nuiy be recognized by a very 

 peculiar odor, the fibrovascular bundles become black, and the sur- 

 rounding tissues greatly att'ected. The disease is abundant in. wet 

 weather and almost entirely disappears during drought. The soil 

 seems to have no influence upon it. The author isolated and made cul- 

 tures of tlie bacillus. Inoculations made upon luta-bagas caused the 

 disease to appear iu a few days. Prof. Mell reported a similar disease 

 in Alabama, which mav prove the same. 



Prof. II. L. Bolley's paper on "The effect of change of soil upon the 

 growth of wheat" was read by Prof Lazenby. The author mentioned 

 the practice of exchanging seed wheat from locality to locality and its 

 effect on the (luality of the grain. Samples of wheat were grown from 

 various parts of the State, rei)resenting all kinds of soil. The conclu- 

 sions arrived at from the experiments were (I) that the grain or fruit 

 of wheat is much less subject to variation than its vegetative part; (L*) 

 that true varieties under like soil and climatic conditions will approxi- 

 mate, a like product without reference to the parent soil; and (3) the 

 change of seed wheat because of supposed advantages to be attained 

 by change of soil is based upon a fallacious supposition. 



Two papers by Prof Pammel were read by title, namely: (1) "On the 

 distribution of some weeds in the United States, especially Iva xanthi- 

 folut, Lactuca scariola, Solamim rostratum, and S. caroUnense;'''' and (2) 

 "Notes on the diseases of plants at Ames, Iowa, in 18!>4." 



Prof. C. B. Waldron's paper on "A new Macrosporium disease of 

 squashes" was read by the secretary. The disease attacks the young- 

 fruit at the blossom end and is not found on any other part of the 

 plants. Cultures and inoculations of the fungus have been made. The 

 fungus has been determined by J. B. Ellis, who named it Macrosporium 

 microsporiiim. 



Prof. P. W. Kane, of \Yest Virginia, contributed some remarks on 

 subirrigation out-of-doors. Ordinary tile were laid in rows above 

 ground and celery planted on either side. At first this gave surface 

 irrigation, but as the celery was hdled up the tile became covered, vir- 

 tually giving a method of subirrigation. The method is described as 

 simple, practical, and inexpensive. 



