247 



Antiikacnose 

 Caused by Collctotriclium lagenarium (Pers.) E. & H. 



Anthracnose of watermelons is usually less severe in Illinois ihan 

 wilt. However, during the 1923 season unusual weather so favored 

 its development that in many places it resulted in damage so severe as 

 to obscure completely the effects of wilt. Anthracnose causes severe 

 spotting of the leaves and, in serious cases, death of the vine. Sunken 

 diseased spots are produced on the melons which mar their appearance 

 and furnish points of entrance for rot-producing fungi. 



This disease has not been reported often in Illinois in years past. 

 The first known outbreak of a serious character occurred in 1923 in the 

 four counties indicated on Maj) 101. Perhaps it is merely a coincidence 

 that the counties in which anthracnose was found lie in approximately 

 the same latitude. In Mason comity certain fields were seen in which 

 80 per cent of the melons showed anthracnose spots ; and in Clark county 

 many fields were a total loss. 



Control of anthracnose may be had by treating the seed with mer- 

 curic chloride (l-lOO(t) before planting and by the application of Bor- 

 deaux about picking-time. Seed treatment alone may result in a great 

 reduction of disease, as was illustrated in one case in 1923, where only 

 3 per cent of the crop from treated seed was lost, while neighboring 

 fields grown from untreated seed were complete failures. 



Cucumber 



The production of cucumbers in Illinois, aside from those raised 

 by local gardeners to supply local markets, ajjpears to be largely limited 

 to production for canning and manufacturing purposes. Available fig- 

 ures indicate a rather steady reduction in acreage, yet the state is still 

 among the important producers, and there are sections of it in which 

 cucumbers arc an important crojx Estimates indicate a commercial 

 acreage varying from 1700 acres in 191S to 811 acres in 1921. with an 

 annual production ranging from 9(1, (iOO bushels in 1918 to 67,.jO() bushels 

 in 1921. The average yield per acre for both years was 51 bushels. 



In general the cucumber is subject to the same diseases as are canta- 

 loupe and watermelon, though their relative inijiortance is less in the 

 case of the cucumber. 



W I I.T 



Caused by Bacillus trachciphiUis E. F. S. 



Cucumber wilt is a bacterial disease caused by the same organism 

 that causes the wilt of cantaloupe, and its a])i>earance is practically the 

 same on both. 



It has not been reported often in Illinois, .-uid the infections that 

 have been seen have usually been mild. In 1922 it was reported in 6 



