56 HATCH EXPERIMENT STATION. [Jan. 



REPORT OF THE BOTAOTSTS. 



G. K. STONE, R. E. SMITH. 



The work of this division has gone on steadily during the 

 past year, having been ahuost entirely along the line of 

 vegetable physiology and pathology. A large amount of 

 correspondence has been carried on, along with the work of 

 investigation. A considerable part of the work has been in 

 connection with the growing of green-house crops, as in past 

 years, lettuce, cucumbers and tomatoes receiving especial 

 attention. The investigations outlined in our last report 

 have been continued, and results obtained which in several 

 cases are nearly ready for publication. The only entirely 

 new subject of importance which has been taken up is that 

 of aster diseases, which is referred to more fully later in this 

 report. A bulletin on " The asparagus rust in Massachu- 

 setts" has been issued, containing the results of the inves- 

 tigation of this subject up to 1899. A further consideration 

 of the same subject will be found in the present report. 



Aster Diseases. 

 General complaint has been made of late years in all parts 

 of the country of the trouble in growing asters, and at pres- 

 ent more or less complete failure is almost universal. We 

 have therefore commenced an investigation of this subject, 

 with a view to ascertaining the exact nature of the trouble, 

 and what may be done to prevent it. A large number of 

 asters were grown during the past season, and, with the 

 experience already gained, it is planned to grow many more 

 next year, under various conditions which have suggested 

 themselves as bearing on the trouble. Some valuable in- 



