17 



merely by a correct system of cultivation, while crops from the same 

 stock in the hands of a novice are too often a sorry sight to behold. 

 We have already pointed out that the injury to asparagus plants, as 

 a result of rust, has been confined to dry soils, although • there 

 are cases where beds in close proximity showed remarkable 

 differences as to infection. We have observed two beds 

 separated from each other by a distance not exceeding ten feet, 

 where in one case the summer stage of the rust was abundant and 

 greatly reduced the bed, while in the other no rust was present 

 except the fall stage. The soil in both beds was apparently the 

 same, at least so far as superficial observation could di termine, but 

 the plants were of a diiferent age and evidently possessed ditTerences 

 as to vigor. Similar conditions could be observed in all the 

 badly iufected regions in 1897, and even in the single instance where 

 the red rust appeared the past summer the other beds in the vicinity, 

 notwithstanding the fact that they were continually subject to 

 infection, never showed any of the rust till late in the fall. The 

 only deduction to be drawn from such facts is that robust and vigor- 

 ous plants, even when cultivated on apparently dry soil, are capable, 

 as it were, of resihting the summer or injurious stage of the rust. 



Most asparagus growers, as a rule, fertilize their crop abundantly 

 with various commercial fertilizers. We have never, however, been 

 able to observe any particular ill eftectfrom tlie kinds in use, although 

 it might be more advantageous, in extremely dry places, to use fer- 

 tilizers containing considerable amounts of organic matter, in order 

 to give the soil more water-retaining properties. In a season of 

 excessive dryness such as 189.5 and 1896, irrigation could in many 

 instances which we have observed be resorted to with very little 

 expense. This would keep the plants in a normal and vigorous con- 

 dition during such seasons, and had this practice been resorted to 

 twice or three times in 189o and 189(3 the summer or injurious stage 

 of the rust would have been held in check. The severe outbreak in 

 1»97 we consider as sporadic in its nature, and we areof the opinion 

 that there will be very little occurrence of this disease, except during 

 seasons of extreme conditions, which occui- generally at intervals of 

 some years. AVith proper plant food and good cultivation, and 

 without the plants being subject to extreme conditions, there is no 

 reason in our judgment why the asparagus rust need give us any 

 concern. 



