1902.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 33. 69 



thus started have been grown on land badly infected with 

 the disease', without a single ease of stem rot. In this case, 

 however, some other troubles with a similar effect must also 

 be considered, particularly the attacks of root lice, one of 

 the worst pests with asters. All of these will be fully 

 discussed in the forthcoming bulletin. 



The Present Status of Asparagus Rust in Massa- 

 chusetts. 



The asparagus rust made its appearance as usual in cither 

 one form or another during the summer and early fall. In 

 Jul}' and August outbreaks of the uredo stage were per- 

 haps not so severe, as a whole, as in some other years ; 

 nevertheless, it was severe enough to be likely to cause 

 damage to the crop next year. The distribution of the rust 

 in this State remains nearly the same as it has for some 

 years, although within the last two years there has been a 

 slight tendency for the uredo stage to show itself on some 

 beds which heretofore have never presented anything but 

 the teleuto spore stage. These beds appear to be in soil 

 presenting more water retentivity than those soils upon 

 which the rust has caused the most injury in years past. In 

 this connection it should be stated that, while the uredo 

 stage has shown on them, it does not occur nearly so early 

 or so severely as on the lighter soils. The uredo spore 

 stage occurred in the latter part of August on these beds. 

 Other than these few instances, the distribution of the uredo 

 spore stage, which constitutes that form of the rust causing 

 practically the only injury, is about the same as it has been. 



The rust constitutes a very serious factor to asparagus 

 growers, especially to those who have a large number of acres 

 located in infested regions. On account of the high prices 

 of asparagus in the market last spring, the financial returns 

 were not so unfavorable as thev might have been, consider- 

 ing the small yield due to the effect of rust. The great diffi- 

 culty that now exists with those growing asparagus on dry 

 soils subject to rust infection is in starting new beds. The 

 young beds rust so much earlier than the old ones that they 

 suffer more severely as a consequence, and in many cases 



