1{)2 EXPERIMENT STATION. [Jan. 



In only one case have we had opportunity to examine an 

 affected crop, and this was totally destroyed during October. 

 This crop was started in August, and, like most crops of 

 cucumbers started in midsummer, it was affected with downy 

 mildew {Plasmopara Cuhensis, B. & C, Humphrey). The 

 soil in the house was of good texture for cucumbers, and well 

 provided with horse manure and commercial fertilizers, as 

 was evident from the vigorous growth of the plants. About 

 the time the plants had reached a height of seven or eight 

 feet and had set a large amount of fruit the leaves com- 

 menced to wdlt, and in a few days most of the foliage col- 

 lapsed, leaving only a few unaffected leaves at the top of the 

 plant, which necessitated the removal of the entire crop. 

 Adjacent to this greenhouse w^ere other larger houses, which, 

 however, Avere planted somewhat later, and the plants in these 

 houses entirely esea}>ed infection, 



Bacteriosis of cucumbers has been rare, if it has occurred 

 at all, under glass in this State. A few years ago we secured 

 germs from an affected out-door crop of cucumbers, and in- 

 oculated the soil in our greenhouse in which cucumbers were 

 growing, with the result that not the slightest infection oc- 

 curred in any instance. The experiment was made during the 

 fall and w^inter months, which may account in part for the 

 failure of the germs to infect the plants. 



There is always risk in planting a cucumber house in 

 August, since the downy mildew previously mentioned, and 

 Anthracnose {Colletotriclium Lagenarium (Pass.) Ell. & 

 Hals.), are sure to be present during August in full force; 

 and the same probably is true to a certain extent in regard 

 to the germs of bacteriosis. At any rate, it is a significant 

 fact that nearly every house planted late has none of these 

 troubles to contend with. 



In the case of the bacteriosis described above we are of the 

 opinion that the method of growing the crop had something 

 to do with its susceptibility to infection, since the i)lants were 

 in our estimation somewhat too vigorous growers, and did not 

 possess the best texture. 



We have frequently advised growers of cucumbers not to 

 plant in August, on account of mildews, etc. There is much 



