1902.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 83. 73 



these can be started under cheese cloth covers, such as are 

 now being so extensively used by tobacco growers in the 

 Connecticut valley, it would certainly be an advantage to 

 get such plants started before setting them out into perma- 

 nent beds ; and it would seem that the covering of cheese 

 cloth would be as effectual as the tree covering in keeping 

 oil' the dew, thus rendering them less susceptible to rust. 

 Some asparagus growers have already considered this method 

 of cultivation. 



Experiments in spraying with the formula recommended 

 by the Geneva station were tried during the past summer. 

 This spraying was not done so often or so thoroughly as it 

 could be done with the apparatus recommended for this work. 

 At the close of the season the results of the applications 

 were readily discernible, in the greener color and more 

 vigorous shoots of the treated plants. This method is a 

 costl}^ one to apply, on account of its requiring a special 

 apparatus and a fungicide which is difficult to prepare ; thus 

 asparagus growers do not take to it at present. 



Fully as favorable results in one instance were obtained 

 by the application of Paris green to a j^oung bed. In this 

 instance a large bed was treated twice for beetles during 

 the summer. About August 18 the uredo stage of the rust 

 commenced to show somewhat on the plants, and at this 

 time one-half of the bed was treated with Paris green early 

 in the morning, when the plants were covered with dew. 

 This treatment seemed to arrest the outbreak of the rust to 

 quite a remarkable extent. This method of treating is a 

 very cheap one, as Paris green is not expensive, and the 

 ease with which it can be put on makes the application far 

 less expensive than by spraying w^th certain other fungi- 

 cides. These plants were evidentl}' treated just in the right 

 time to be eftective. From the results obtained, it would 

 be worth Avhile to give this method of treatment further 

 trial. It is expected, however, that some experiments along 

 other lines than those heretofore conducted will be tried 

 next year, from which it is hoped that some results of im- 

 portance will be ol)tained. 



