1900.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 33. 73 



to note, however, that cultivation and skilful plant feeding 

 alone have enabled some beds to suppress the outbreak of the 

 summer stage. 



Then, again, the question of soil moisture during dry sea- 

 sons must be considered. There are different ways of secur- 

 ing this, such as by irrigation, by increasing the organic 

 matter in the soil, or by mulching. In selecting a site for 

 new beds, they should be started on soil possessing some 

 degree of water-retaining capacity, even if such soil is not 

 adapted quite so well for asparagus during ordinary seasons. 

 We are convinced, however, that soils such as the Montague 

 and Attleborough , which appear to be good asparagus soils, 

 possess enough line material and sufficient water-retaining 

 capacity to prevent the summer outbreak, provided robust 

 plants are secured. In fact, we are informed that the sum- 

 mer stage of the rust has not appeared on the beds at Attle- 

 borough from which this sample was taken previous to this 

 year. It is these extremely light, sandy soils that have been 

 selected for the largest asparagus beds, because they appear 

 to be best adapted for its growth. Numerous inquiries from 

 towns adjoining many of these badly infected regions have 

 failed to show any evidence of injuries from the rust, as the 

 texture of the soil is slightly different. 



If the asparagus rust continues to cause as much injury in 

 the future as it has in the past, it may become necessary to 

 resort to those soils of a finer texture for the cultivation of 

 this crop. The matter of irrigation would be expensive and 

 not readily resorted to on many beds, while others that we 

 know of could be very easily irrigated by damming a small 

 stream and properly diverting the course of the water. Since 

 the asparagus rust is brought about by drought, and is there- 

 fore not likely to cause much injury except during such sea- 

 sons, the occurrence of the disease can be anticipated. In 

 this respect it differs from other common plant diseases, in- 

 asmuch as we have to spray for them every season, whether 

 we know they are going to make their appearance or not. 

 An annual treatment would therefore not be required. It is 

 hoped that some preventive measures, })ased upon the reten- 

 tivity or the supi)lying of soil moisture, will be employed by 

 those growers who arc luvorably situated uiid wiio have suf- 

 fered from the rust. 



