1899.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 33. 149 



the disease, it will of course he at once understood that it is 

 very advisahle to destroy all affected vines and leaves by 

 burning. It might also be safer not to plant melons on land 

 where the disease had already occurred during the previous 

 season. We do not, however, lay great stress on this, as 

 many farmers have a particular area especially suited to this 

 crop, which they do not like to give up, and the disease is 

 probably disseminated widely enough so that it is about as 

 likely to occur in one place as another. 



Rotting of Cahbage. 

 The rotting of cabbage in the field, caused by a species of 

 bacteria, which has recently been so thoroughly investigated 

 by Russell* and Smith, -f appeared this year in a field upon 

 the station grounds, and also occurred to our knowledge in 

 several other places in the State. It is a most destructive 

 disease, causing dead spots to appear upon the outer leaves 

 of the cabbage, and usually resulting in a complete decay of 

 the whole head. Cauliflower is quite susceptil:»le, as also 

 cabbages and turnips. A full description of the disease may 

 be obtained in the above-cited Farmers' Bulletin, which can 

 be obtained upon application to the Secretary of Agriculture, 

 Washington, I). C. No practical remedy is known except 

 a rotation of crops. As the disease occurred here on land 

 which had never been in cabbages before, even this seems 

 rather uncertain. 



Further Considerations in Regard to the Drop in Lettuce. 

 We have already referred to this disease in our last annual 

 report, and it may not be out of place to Ijriefly call attention 

 to the progress which has l)een made towards the control of 

 this troublesome fungus. The study of the organism which 

 causes the disease has given some suggestive results in re- 

 gard to its treatment. The ordinary "damping fungus" 

 (Rotrj/ti'i), has been generally regarded as the source of the 

 trouble, and we have so referred to it in our })rcvious report. 

 Further observation has shown, however, that, whatever may 



* Bulletin 65, Wisconsin Experiment Station. 



t Farmers' Bulletin 68, United States Department Agriculture. 



