ARID AGRICULTURE. 



279 



GROWN 



GALL 



LEAF-SPOT 

 OF ALFALFA 





The crown gall is a disease of trees. It pro- 

 duces galls or warty growths on the roots, more 

 especially near the crown of the tree. Crown 

 gall has long been recognized as a dangerous and 

 troublesome disease for which there is no known 

 remedy. We call attention to it here to warn 

 those who plant trees not to plant any upon 

 which crown gall is present, but to destroy them 

 at once. Our horticultural laws are strict to 

 prevent the introduction of crown gall, but occa- 

 sionally an affected tree will escape the notice of 

 the inspector, and if one is found it should never 

 be planted. 



Leaf-spot of alfalfa is comparatively a new 

 disease in the West, but it is one which is rap- 

 idly spreading and doing much serious damage. 

 It usually appears in late summer in the form of 

 small brown or black spots on the leaves and 

 stems. The leaves soon curl up, turn yellow, die 

 and fall off, leaving the lower parts of the stems 

 bare. It is a fungus which saps the vitality of 

 the plant, destroys its growth, lowers the yield 

 and prevents the production of seed. In some 

 fields the entire stand has been destroyed. Three 

 remedies have been suggested. One is the early 

 cutting of the plant and removing it before it gets 

 too dry in order to prevent the shattering off of 

 the leaves. This takes away most of the spores 

 of the disease. Another is to cut the hay, let it 

 remain on the ground until it is thoroughly dry 



