EXPERIMENT STATION REPORT. 435 



"When the "weed is found in the field it should be dug up and 

 <lestroyed, and of course no clover seed saved from the infested area. 



Fortunately, in this country, this parasite has not become generally 

 troublesome, but in Europe, from which it came to us, it is more 

 common. 



H. Garman,* in his illustrated bulletin upon this subject, states that 

 this plant has been in Kentucky for at least ten years. The parasite 

 injures hemp and tobacco, in some cases to the extent of 50 per cent, 

 of the crop. One observer states that he has seen it upon tomato. 

 "Rotation of crops, burning over infested fields, care in collecting 

 seeds for planting and the use of fertilizers to stimulate growth of 

 crops," are suggested as methods of prevention of injury. "Gas-lime 

 applied to the land in the fall has been found useful in destroying the 

 broom-rape seeds." 



In the Kentucky Station Report, 1896, Professor Garman states 

 that the broom-rape was found upon the roots of cabbage, rape and 

 shepherd's purse ; but all attempts to cause it to establish itself on 

 -watermelon, clover, wheat and potatoes have failed. 



Broom-Rape Upon Tomato. 



During the past season a single tomato plant in the Experiment 

 '^Grounds was infested with a broom -rape. This is a different species 

 from thkt above considered, upon the clover, but of the same genus 

 Orobanche, and is called Orobanche ramosa L. , because of its habit of 

 branching. The parasite fastened itself upon one of the several roots 

 •of the tomato plant and produced a base of considerable size below 

 ground, from which a cluster of branching stems arose, bearing the 

 many bluish-yellow flowers above ground in early July. The photo- 

 engraving (Plate VIII.) shows the parasite after the soil had been 

 carefully washed away ; but the flowers had become withered before 

 the picture was secured. The similarities between the parasite of 

 the tomato and the clover may be seen from the plate, the chief ap- 

 parent difference being in the one having a single stalk and the other 

 a cluster compacted at the base. 



It is interesting to note that the branched broom-rape is a comm-on 

 parasite upon the roots of hemp and tobacco, in Kentucky, where it 

 is often a serious pest. The tomato belongs to the same family with 

 the tobacco, and therefore, as these parasites go, it might be ex- 

 pected upon such nearly-related plants. 



* Bulletin 24, Kentucky Experiment Station, 1890. 



