1903.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 33. 31 



not kill the vines outright, and by picking off the affected 

 leaves growers have succeeded in keeping it considerably 

 in check. It is therefore recommended that greenhouse cu- 

 cumbers be started as late as possible, to avoid the mildew. 

 Plants started in October have not shown the disease, where 

 those planted in August were badly affected. This is the 

 safest and esfsiest preventive. In case this is impracticable, 

 on account of an early crop being desired, a dry atmosphere 

 in the house will largely prevent the spread of the mil- 

 dew, the development of which is favored by atmospheric 

 moisture. By removing affected leaves, and keeping the 

 house dry, the disease can be effectually kept down. A 

 third remedy lies in spraying, which must be resorted to 

 with an early crop in moist atmosphere. This has been 

 practised very successfully with out-of-door cucumbers upon 

 Long Island, using the Bordeaux mixture. Spraying can 

 be done thoroughly in the greenhouse, and both sides of the 

 leaves should be well covered. 



TJie Muskmelon Blight. 

 On account of the general prevalence and general destruc- 

 tiveness of this disease, melon growing has become practi- 

 call}^ impossible in Massachusetts. This plant, as described 

 in our last report, has become affected worse and worse each 

 year with several different fungous diseases, the attacks of 

 which its delicate nature has little power to resist. The 

 chief trouble this j'^ear and last has been the downy mildew, 

 in connection with which the anthracnose and Alternaria 

 disease have also developed. The cold weather of the last 

 season was very unfavorable for muskmelons, making it 

 almost impossible to get vigorous plants started. Those 

 started in-doors and transplanted made practically no growth 

 for weeks after being set out, and fell an easy prey to disease. 

 The Alternaria disease appeared about July 15, but ap- 

 peared to cause no immediate damage ; but the mildew, 

 coming on in the latter part of August, killed the vines 

 completely all over the State, and no returns whatever were 

 received from many large fields. After these two years of 

 complete failure since the mildew appeared, it is probable 



