62 EXPERLAIEXT STATION. [Jan. 



Celemy CRO^^^N^ Rot. 



BY G. E. STONE. 



During the summer of 1907 our attention was called to a 

 disease which we found to be doing- much damage to celery. The 

 affected crop was in a small field near the proprietor's house. 

 As a result of this disease the income from the crop fell from 

 $400 to $25. 



Recent investigations of the crop in the field showed that the 

 disease had spread to other parts of the farm and had become 

 quite a serious trouble the past summer (l',)08). The disease 

 appears to be confined to this one farm, as far as we know at the 

 present time. It is not particularly noticeable when the plants 

 are young, except to one familiar with this crop, but as the 

 plants grow older, and later stages of the disease appear, they 

 assume a sickly, yellowish appearance, and become stunted in 

 their growth. A few plants slightly affected may grow long- 

 enough to be marketable, but the majority never exceed 3 or 4 

 inches in height. 



If the crown is split open longitudinally a dead area will be 

 noticed, extending to the tap root. In the more advanced stages 

 a cavitv is formed, eontainino; a brownish, gummv substance 

 which is usually moist and slimy within. The early stages 

 show simply a brown or blackish area extending to the tap root. 

 The disease apparently extends to the smaller roots, as is evi- 

 dent from the discolored veins traceable through various parts 

 of the root system. In severe cases the rot may destroy the 

 whole crown, and infection will follow up the celery stalks, 

 causing the whole plant eventually to collapse. 



On this farm 3 acres of celery were planted this year, and 

 all but Yi acre was affected more or less severely. The small 

 plot which showed the disease severely last year was not planted 

 this year, with the exception of three rows for experimental 

 purposes. Examinations of these three roAVS after they had 



