998 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



tliought to have giveu tbe best results, when total yield and per cent 

 of scab are considered. 



Ruta-baga rot, L. H. Pammel {loica Sta. Bui. 27, pp. 130-134, pi. 

 1). — An abstract of this article was presented to the section on botany 

 and horticulture of the Association of American Agricultural Colleges 

 and Experiment Stations at its meeting in November, 1894 (E. S. K., 

 6, p. 268). 



The disease was first noticed in 1892 and in 1893 was so severe as to 

 flestroy in one case more than 50 per cent of the crop. When present 

 this rot may be recognized by its peculiar odor. Usually the crown 

 of the root is the portion first affected, but occasionally the bases of 

 the leaves are first to show the disease, or it may appear on the side 

 of the root. The leaves of all i)laiits affected were spotted, but tbe 

 author has not attempted to study the relationship between the leaf 

 spotting and the rottiug of the roots. The fibrovascular bundles of 

 diseased roots become black and the adjacent parenchyma is of a 

 watery appearance. In roots badly affected the cortex easily separates 

 from the fleshy portion. Sometimes the stems and roots become hollow, 

 containing an ill-smelling fluid. In this fluid numerous bacteria were 

 found, some of which were isolated, and from inoculation experiments 

 one was found that the author considers the cause of the disease. He 

 has given to it the name Bacillus campestris n. sp., characterized as 

 follows : 



" Bacillus varying somewhat in length from 1.87 //, 2.25 //, to 3 //, width uniform 

 0.37//. Rods rounded at ends, occurring singly or in chains of two or three, stain- 

 ing uniform and readily with fuchsin and gentian violet; in old cultures it stains 

 with difficulty. In hanging drops the bacillus exhibits a lively motion. The organ- 

 ism has considerable vitality, cultures 4 months old growing readily when trans- 

 ferred. Spores not observed. " 



In the various cultures the bacteria produces a characteristic yellow- 

 ish growth. 



The disease affects rutabagas and yellow turnips. No specific sug- 

 gestions are given for its prevention. 



Observations on Plowrightia morbosa, S. A. Beach [New Yorlc 

 State Sta. Rpt. 1893, pp. 686-688). — During 1893 a plum nursery was 

 examined at the request of its owner for black knot. The young trees 

 wxre budded in 1891 and in 1893 no wood was left above the union but 

 2-year-old growth. One side of a block of the young trees was bordered 

 by a row of bearing plum trees that were badly affected by the black knot, 

 some of the branches of the diseased trees overhanging the nursery 

 stock. In 1892, after the leaves had fallen, all knots were cut from 

 the old trees. On June 28, 1893, nearly every young tree iunnediately 

 under the old ones was badly affected, and a careful inspection showed 

 some evidence of the disease in other rows. The conclusion of the 

 author is that the infection undoubtedly came from the older trees- 

 there being no other adequate source of infection, and from the fact 

 that the young trees under tbe drip of the older ones were the ones 

 worst affected. 



