62 EXPERDIEXT STATION. [Jan. 



FUSARIUM DISEASE OF CUCUMBERS AND 

 OTHER PLANTS. 



BY G. E, STONE, 



A type of disease caused by one or more species of Fusarium 

 occnrring on different plants gives rise to what are known as 

 wilts, stem rots, etc. Fusariuvi tronbles have become more com- 

 mon of late years, and many houses which have been entirely 

 free from them in the past now seem to become affected sooner 

 or later. The dry stem rot of the carnation, caused by Fusa- 

 riinu, was unknown to florists years ago, but for ten years or 

 more it has been one of the most common and dreaded pests 

 known to carnation growers. Fusarium stem troubles have l)een 

 observed occasionally on greenhouse tomatoes for the past few 

 years, but fortunately no great amount of damage has so far re- 

 sulted from this disease. Asters, chrysanthemums, potatoes, 

 etc.. are affected with Fvsarium stem rots, and in the case of the 

 aster the disease is often quite connnon and destructive. 



Fusarium troubles of a minor and insignificant character have 

 in previous years been found on greenhouse cucumbers, and 

 within the last year a few serious cases of infection have been 

 brought to our attention. All these cases were confined to green- 

 houses, and were severe enough in some instances to entirely 

 ruin the crop. The material sent in to the laboratory showed 

 both roots and stems affected with the fungus. 



The summer crop of muskmelons, grown in the department's 

 conservatory, was also affected badly, the disease appearing first 

 on a few plants, but eventually s])reading over practically the 

 whole house. Tt was first characterized by a wilting of the 

 leaves, which was more noticeable in warm, sunshiny weather. 

 At first there is a tendency for the leaves to recover in the night 



