New York Agricultural Experiment Station. ioi 

 Table V. — Results of Cabbage Rot Experiment in 1902. v 



The treatment resulted in a loss of 328 j lbs., ivhich is at the rate of 

 5 1-4 tons per acre. 



Althoug-h the affected heads were not counted there were 

 apparently about the same number on the treated portion as 

 on the check. On both plats a few heads were affected with 

 soft rot externally and a few with soft rot in the stem. 



The treatment was even more than a complete failure. It 

 not only failed to prevent the disease, but actually reduced the 

 yield by 5^ tons per acre. This fact, taken in connection with 

 the expense of the treatment, which was $11.62 per acre (count- 

 ing labor at 12^ cents per hour), makes the treatment highly 

 unprofitable. The worthlessness of the leaf-pulling treatment is 

 so thoroughly demonstrated by this experiment that further 

 experimentation along this line has been abandoned. 



WHY THE LEAF-PULLING TREATMENT FAILS. 



Removal of leaves checks the formation of heads. — Even if black 

 rot could be controlled by the removal of diseased leaves the 

 treatment could not be made a profitable operation for the reason 

 that it reduces the yield. The removal of affected leaves checks 

 the growth of the heads. In order that the treatment may be 

 effective it is necessary to remove all affected leaves, even those 

 showing only traces of infection and also many others not really 

 affected. (See page 95 and Table III.) The loss of so many 

 leaves is a great drain upon the plants. If these leaves were not 

 remioved they would continue to perform their function for a 

 considerable length of time in spite of the fact that they were 



