CHAPTER VI. 



PREVENTIVE AND COMBATIVE MEASURES. 



1'2. Measures are known for the prevention and cure of many 

 fungoid diseases of plants of agricultural, sylvicultural or horti- 

 cultural interest. These have been deduced from the biology of 

 the parasite and its relation to its host, and have bei-n used 

 practically with more or less success. In a la rue number of 

 cases, however, little advice can be given, because as }vt the 

 cause of many diseases is obscure, while for others suitable 



Tents for cure have not been found. Many of the methods 

 known are impracticable from the cost entailed in rarryinu 

 them out. Others, directed against some widespread disease, 

 fail from lack of organi/cd co-operation, the efforts of a few 

 individual cultivators here and there making but little headway 

 against the disease, so long as the patches of crop under treat- 

 ment arc subject to fresh invasion from untreated places. It is 

 desirable on this account that the combating of diseases "f 'un- 

 cultivated plants >hoidd be conducted under some kind of ^tatc 

 supervision. 



The first step towards combating tin.- more destructive diseases 

 of plants is the spread of knowledge cmicerning them, and the 

 remedies available against them. In Havana and other German 

 states this is done fur the disease-, nf sylvicultural impnrtance by 

 regular courses nf instruction in plant-pathol'>;j y in the forestry 

 Schools. In the same way it would also be advisable to vjve 

 similar instruction in agricultural schools, and al<o to make it a 

 subject for cxaminal imi. Another impMrtaiit steji cnnsi>ts in the 

 nf e x | ici'i men t a 1 stations when- in\ est i-al i"ii> in 



