CURRANT DISEASES 213 



the Balkan and Hispanic peninsulas. It is especially preva- 

 lent in Germany, Denmark, Belgium and Holland. Just 

 when the parasite was introduced into the United States is 

 not definitely known. It was found in Kansas in 1892, but at 

 that time it was not recognized as the pathogene here under con- 

 sideration. How it reached Kansas is not known. It became 

 known in 1909 that several millions of young white pines had 

 been previously imported from Germany, with which the fungus 

 unquestionably was introduced. Later shipments brought it 

 from France. Although Americans were warned of the appall- 

 ing injury by the fungus to white pines in Europe, yet it became 

 established here without attracting government consideration. 

 In 1912 the federal government enacted The Plant Quarantine 

 Act, which provides for the regulation and quarantine of diseased 

 nursery -stock ; this, however, came too late, as the pathogene 

 had by that time spread to several states in the Union. The 

 disease has been found in Indiana, Ohio, New York, Pennsyl- 

 vania, New Jersey, Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, 

 Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Wisconsin and Minne- 

 sota. It is also found in Ontario, Canada. It is now wide- 

 spread on wild and cultivated Ribes in Connecticut, Rhode 

 Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine. In time 

 the disease will doubtless be found in all parts of temperate 

 North America, although the federal and state governments 

 are cooperating in an attempt to prevent such a calamity. 



Symptoms. 



On currants (Figs. 55 and 56) and gooseberries the disease 

 is found from June first to leaf-fall. Rust pustules one-six- 

 teenth to three-eighths of an inch across are formed on the lower 

 sides of the leaves. These are scattered or dense, depending 

 on the intensity of the infection (Figs. 55 and 56). If severely 

 affected, the leaves, die and -fall prematurely. The rusty mass 

 on the leaves has given rise to the names currant-rust, felt-rust 

 and currant felt-rust. 



