1082 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



plants with whale-oil soap, to be followed by an application of sulphur, scattered by 

 hand. 



White rust of cabbages (Jour. Bd. Agr. [London], 12 {1905), No. 8, pp. 480,481, 

 jlg m i).— A brief account is given of the occurrence of Cystopus Candidas on cabbages. 

 As the white rust most frequently occurs on shepherd's purse, it is recommended 

 that all weeds of this kind should be destroyed in the vicinity of other crops that 

 are liable to be infected by the fungus. 



Tomato diseases in California, R, E. Smith (California Sta. Bui. 175, pp. 16, 

 jlg St gy — A preliminary report is given on the cause, nature, and possible means of 

 prevention of some diseases of the tomato which have become exceedingly destructive 

 in parts of California, and the further investigation of which is to be prosecuted in 

 connection with the work of the new pathological laboratory for southern California. 



The diseases described are the dam ping-off, which is due to one or more species of 

 fungi, the summer blight, which is attributed to attacks of an undetermined species 

 of Fusarium, and the winter blight, which is caused by the fungus Phgtophthora 

 infestans. For the damping-off, which is most prevalent in seed beds, the use of 

 fresh earth, thorough ventilation, and the avoidance of overcrowding the plants are 

 recommended as precautionary measures, and spraying with Bordeaux mixture, fol- 

 lowed by sprinkling with sulphur, is advised where the disease has become estab- 

 lished. 



For the summer blight, which is due to a soil fungus, the only recommendation 

 that can be made at present is planting healthy plants in new soil. Applications of 

 lime, sulphur, etc., to the soil may be tried, but the effect of such treatment has not 

 yet been demonstrated. Spraying can probably be of no use in connection with this 

 disease. For the prevention of the wdnter blight, which occurs only after heavy 

 rains or heavy fogs and dews, and in California affects only the winter crop of 

 tomatoes, spraying after every rain with Bordeaux mixture is recommended. 



A Fusarium disease of tomatoes, E. vox Oven (Landw. JaJirb., 34 (1905), Xo. 

 3-4, pp. 489-520, pis. 2, fig. 1; abs. in Centbl. Bakt. [etc.'], 2. Abt., 15 (1905), No. 15-16, 

 pp. 491,492).— In 1901 and again in 1904 there appeared on tomatoes in the vicinity 

 of Berlin a disease that became epidemic, causing considerable losses of the fruit. 



Upon the blossom end of both green and ripe fruit appeared black spots that 

 enlarged, and, through the softening of the underlying tissues, gave a wrinkled 

 appearance to the fruit, which finally became a dried mummified mass. An investi- 

 gation of the material showed there was a fungus in the tissues, and also abundant 

 bacteria. Subsequent Jstudies seemed to show that the bacteria were of secondary 

 importance, finding entrance only after. the destruction had been begun by the 

 fungus. 



The cause of the disease is said to be a species of Fusarium. The fungus appears 

 to be usually a wound parasite, under normal conditions not being able to penetrate 

 the epidermis of the fruit, but when especially abundant and vigorous in growth it 

 seems to cause infection. 



The author describes the results of inoculation experiments with the organism, 

 which seems to be an exceedingly variable one, and which survives the winter in 

 the numerous sclerotia formed in the mummy fruits. The fungus is described as a 

 new species, with the name Fusarium erubescens, and it is critically compared with 

 several other species of Fusarium. 



Experiments have shown that weak solutions of Bordeaux mixture have little 

 effect in checking the growth of the fungus. Therefore it is suggested that toma- 

 toes should be sprayed with strong solutions of Bordeaux mixture as soon as the dis- 

 ease makes its appearance. 



Bacterial disease of tomatoes (Bd. Agr. and Fisheries [London], Leaflet 152, pp. 

 2, fig. 1). — A description is given of a bacterial disease of tomatoes that has been 



