1915.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 31. 57 a 



by Spondylocladium atrovirens Harz. ; a secondary rot of stored 

 potatoes, due to Stysanus stemonitis Cda. ; and a frnit rot of 

 egg-plant, caused by Botrytis fascicularis (Cda.) Sacc. The 

 cyclamen disease, although previously described/ needs further 

 investigation and is noM^ under observation by the writer. 



The appearance of the silvery scurf on a seed tuber grown in 

 the eastern part of the State is cause for some concern among 

 potato growers. While not considered serious, the advent of this 

 disease means one more enemy for the grower to combat. This 

 disease appears on the surface of the tuber as a darkened area 

 throughout which are scattered many minute black specks. The 

 latter are sclerotia, similar to those of the Ehizoctonia disease, 

 but very much smaller. The trouble is not easily detected on 

 unwashed tubers but is conspicuous on clean tubers. It causes 

 shrinking, due to loss of moisture through the diseased outer 

 tissue. The disease seems difficult to control, not yielding to 

 ordinary '' seed " disinfection as practiced for scab, and growers 

 should, therefore, reject and destroy all seed tubers which show 

 signs of this trouble. 



At present the station is largely dependent for plant disease 

 data upon casual reports received in correspondence from per- 

 sons seeking information concerning remedial measures. The 

 appearance of new diseases, the apparent increased importance 

 of others, and the doubt concerning the importance of still others, 

 suggest a pressing need of improving our facilities for obtaining 

 such information. Other States have made and have under way 

 systematic plant disease surveys. No such systematic investi- 

 gation has ever been undertaken in Massachusetts, though every 

 one familiar with phytopathological procedure recognizes such 

 work as of fundamental importance. 



The number of requests for seed separation and purity and 

 germination tests also has increased. Increased demand from 

 commercial houses for the cleaning and separation of large 

 quantities of seed has made necessary some curtailment of this 

 phase of the seed work. The usual run of seed separation can- 

 not be considered as experimental work, and trained experts 

 employed by the station for investigation should not be obliged 



■ Patterson, Flora A. Disease of Cyolamen caused by a Variety of Glomerella rufomaculans. 

 U. S. Dept. Agr., Bur. PI. Ind. Bui. 171, 12-13, 1910. 



