BROWN ROT OF SOLAN ACEAE. 2O5 



inspection was made. This may have been, however, the Grand Rapids disease, due to 

 Aplanobacter michiganense (see p. 161). 



The same year, in two of the Cornell University Experiment Station bulletins, Bailey and 

 Corbett made a brief mention of a disease which was serious upon some of their tomatoes 

 that year. Specimens were submitted to Dr. Halsted, who thought the disease was "prob- 

 ably identical with the Southern one" (Bull. 45), and "distinct" (Bull. 43). Professor 

 Bailey adds : 



Apparently the same disease has been reported to me from three localities in this State during the 

 last two seasons and in two cases it had practically ruined the crop. 



Probably this was the Grand Rapids disease due to Aplanobacter michiganense. 

 In 1893, Professor Burrill published another note on the new potato disease, the most 

 important part of which is here cited : 



The present note is simply to substantiate as correct what was simply surmised before. The 

 micro-organisms taken from the different portions named of the plant not only appear alike and grow 



alike in artificial cultures, but the results are identical when cross-inoculated into the living tissues. 

 * * * 



When the aerial stems are infected, pure artificial cultures are as easy to make as from the tuber 

 itself, and we have had abundant opportunity to do it. [These cultures and inoculations are not de- 

 scribed.) It now appears that in most instances at least the tubers in the ground are infected by way 

 of the rhizomes and aerial stems. * * * The leaves are primarily infested and very commonly 

 first at the tips or margins, then are progressively destroyed, becoming first watery, or semi-trans- 

 lucent, then brown, and afterward dry and curled. The supporting petioles and stems are in turn 

 invaded, but initial spots may also be found on these. It has not been ascertained whether or not 

 previous mechanical rupture of the epidermis is necessary, but all observed facts indicate the contrary. 



In 1895, Dr. Halsted wrote as follows about conditions in New Jersey: 

 Bacteriosis of the tomato prevails in many parts of the State, and is not, as yet, well understood. 



In 1895-96, the writer isolated the organism causing this disease and studied it many 

 months. He obtained typical infections on tomato and potato plants, inoculating from 

 pure cultures by means of needle-pricks on stems and leaves; he determined by cross- 

 inoculations the identity of the disease as it occurs on potato, tomato, and egg-plant, obtained 

 successful inoculations on various weeds (Datura, etc.), failed to obtain the disease in tobacco 

 or peppers, perhaps because these plants were not growing rapidly, determined experiment- 

 ally that the organism was non-infectious to the cucumber and some other plants, and 

 demonstrated that the disease could be conveyed by insects. As a result of these investi- 

 gations he described the disease and figured it, named the organism causing it, and for the 

 first time described the latter according to well-recognized bacteriological methods. 



According to Selby, the disease is serious in parts of Ohio. One tomato-grower in 

 Clermont County stated on July 23, 1896, that "in my three acres there is scarcely a sound 

 plant." 



In 1898, P. H. Rolfs, at Lake City, Florida, published short notes on this disease in two 

 of the Florida Experiment Station bulletins. 



The disease was known to be present in Florida in several fields. It was inoculated 

 successfully into tomatoes, which were all destroyed. Egg-plants appeared to be more 

 resistant than tomatoes, but suffered quite severely. Peppers seemed to be free from this 

 disease. 



Some potatoes on the Experiment Station were carefully treated with fungicides, but no good 

 result could be seen from the use of this material. 



In Bulletin 47, of the Florida Station, it is said: 



That the disease is not indigenous to Florida I think is evident from the fact that it rarely occurs 

 in new portions of the State until after vegetables have been grown for two or three years. The loss 



