450 EXPERIMENT STATION KECORt). 



In 1909 the gains per acre at the station were 49.75 bu. from spraying every 

 2 weeks, and 38.67 bu. from spraying 3 times ; at Riverhead the corresponding 

 gains were 52.5 bu. and 2S.67 bu. For the entire 8 years" spraying the average 

 gains at the station were 102 bu. per acre from spraying every 2 weelis, and 78 

 bu. per acre from 3 applications ; at Riverhead the corresponding gains were 54 

 bu. and 29 bu. 



A summary of tlie farmers' business experiments during 1909 showed an in- 

 crease in yield per acre due to spraying of 24.4 bu., and an average net profit 

 per acre of $9.55. The average increase in yield for 7 years was 41.1 bu., and 

 the average net profit $16.77 per acre. 



Potato spraying' severely tested, F. H. Hall {Islew York State Sta. Bui. 323, 

 popular cd., pp. S). — A popular edition of the above. 



The curly top disease of sugar beets, H. B. Shaw (Ahs. in Science, n. ser., 31 

 {1910), A'o. 802, p. 7'56').— A description is given of the symptoms characterizing 

 this disease and attention called to the fact that the resistance to it varies ac- 

 cording to the size of the beets. Certain experiments showed tliat leaf hoppers 

 are the primary cause of the disease, and observations have indicated that it 

 may develop the second season in beets planted for seed production although no 

 symptoms were present when the beets were harvested the preceding fall. 



Colletotriclium falcatum in the United States, C. W. Edgerton (Science, n. 

 ser., 31 (HI 10), Xo. 801, pp. 717, 718). — puring the past two years, while study- 

 ing the diseases of sugar cane, the author has made a careful search for those 

 fungi which are troublesome in other countries but which have not yet been 

 reported in the United States. One of these diseases, caused by the fungus C. 

 falcatum, has been found during the past year in Louisiana. This fungus is 

 said to sometimes cause immense losses in Bengal (E. S. R., 18, p. 450). 



When first observed the author did not positively differentiate the fungus from 

 ji similar one, C. lineola, which occurs abundantly on Johnson grass. Further 

 studies, however, have shown C. falcatum to be the cause of the sugar cane dis- 

 ease commonly referred to as the red rot. In addition to observing it on 

 material in Louisiana, diseased specimens were sent the author from Georgia, 

 indicating that the fungus has become somewhat distributed in this country. 



In studying this and the species occurring on Johnson grass, inoculation ex- 

 periments were made with them. C. lineola developed fruiting organs to some 

 extent at the point of inoculation, but would not spread into healthy tissues on 

 the sugar cane. The morphological characters of the two fungi are said to be 

 very similar if not identical. 



Timothy rust in the United States, E. C. Johnson (Abs. in Science, n. ser., 

 31 ( I'JIO). .Yo. 803, pp. 791, 792). — The author states that timothy rust was re- 

 ported in the United States as early as 1882 and that its presence in Iowa was 

 noted in 1891. From that date to 1906 there appears to have been no mention 

 of the parasite in the United States, but in the latter year the rust became 

 epidemic in the timothy-breeding plats of this Department at the Arlington Experi- 

 ment Farm. Since that time it has been common in many localities and is re- 

 ported from nearly all the States east of the Mississippi and north of Ten- 

 nessee, with the exception of the New England States, New Jersey, and Illinois. 

 It is also known to occur in Minnesota and Iowa. 



The rust in general appearance and morphological characteristics resembles 

 Puccinia graminis on wheat. Investigations by Eriksson and Henning (E. S. R., 

 6, p. 14G) with the rust of timothy led them to describe it as P. phlei-pratensiK. 

 By others it is regarded as a race or physiological species of P. graminis. 



Inoculation exi)eriments have demonstrated that the rusts in the United 

 States and in Europe are identical, although the species is not a well fixed one. 

 It is readily transferred to a number of species of grasses, among them oats, 



