04 



Wet-rot. 



The disease known as ■■ wct-mt " is oft<Mi tci lie fdund in daniii. inug^y 

 seasons, and in land wliicli is l)adi.v drained. It is now i-imsidered to be 

 caused by bacteria, bnt whether (jne or more .seiiarate organisms are primarily 

 responsible has not as yet been ascertained. Tlie affection appears when the 

 tubers are in tlie ground, and conuuenees as a soft spot underneath the sliin 

 of tlie pdtatii. This exteuds rapidly, the tissues being completely destro.ved 

 and the whole interior converted into a brown, siiui.y mass, often greatly 

 distended with various gases. Tubers in wliieli this disease appears often 

 decay with great rapidity, owing to the entrance of various saprophytic fungi 

 and bacteria which are enabled to gain admission as soon as the rot has set 

 in. and thus greatly aid its rapid spi'ead. 



(iood drainage is the most important thing to attend to in localities where 

 this "rot" is present, and wherever it is noticed tliat crops are being attaclceil 

 they should lie at once (big up and all the rotting tubers carefully burnt. 



P..\rTERI.\L I)ISE.\SE OF TOMATOES. 



The syiii]itoms arc very marlvcd and cannot be confoun.Ted witli tlmse of 

 any other ((jinato disease at present known. When the tomato is about the 

 size of a marble a minute blackish patch first appears .-it the bnse of the .style. 

 This patch gradually increases in size, retaining a circular outline, until 

 eventually the entire fruit is reduced to a blackish, soft deca.ved mass. 



Experiments have shown that infection takes place during the flowering 

 stage, and that the bacteria causing the disea,se are deposited on the stigma 

 by flies visiting the flowers. The stigma appears to be the only vulnerable 

 l):irt uiKler ordinary conditions: nevertheless, if bacteria from a diseased fruit 

 .ire introduced into tlie flesh of :i lii'althy tomato at any point of its surface 

 by means of tlie |i.iiijt of a ver.\- line needle, infection follows. This disease 

 does not aiUH^.-ir to be intlucnced to .-iny extent by the forcing method of cultiva- 

 tion commonly followed, as it has been observed in ;i house where the teiii|iera- 

 ture was keiit comiiaratively low. 



When the disease appears all diseased fruit should be removed as quickly 

 as p(jssible. and not be allowed to decay and libi'rate the bacteria present in 

 the tissues. Insects should also be excluded by using an insecticide. This 

 last act would necessitate artiHcial pollination witli a (■.■iniel-hair luaisli,— 

 Lrafirt \(i. l.j>. Hoard -// Atliii-iiU lire. EikjJuikI. 



Disease of the To.mato. 



.Vntlira<-uose ( rcjUcfofrirJiiiui Jiicoiin-tiici. (".) .attacks the riiiening tom.ito 

 at the point where it lias begun t.i colour .-ind spreads raj. idly, causiug nincli 

 loss before the fruit (•.■in be marketed. It apjiears as sunken discolouivd sjiots 

 with a (lark centre; these increa.se in size, run together, cover a large iiortioii 

 of the decaying fruit and are surrounded by wrinkled, discohaired skin. Spray 

 the vines and young fruit early in the season with pota.ssium sulphide. 

 ^OKtlicni. or Field Blh/lil. 



The leaves become .yellowish and curled, the ends shrivel and droo|i, 

 finally bec.aiiing dry and black. (Jather and burn all diseased vines and fruit 

 in the fall. Change the tomato patch to another Held for two or three years. 

 — Oiiyon ISiillrliii, \(). 27. 



