Family Composites 147 



Soft rot of salsify is more a storage trouble than a 

 field trouble. The disease, as it has been studied by 

 Clinton, T was found to be the same as the soft rot of 

 the carrot and of various other vegetables. It was 

 found in salsify roots stored in poor cellars, lacking 

 the necessary ventilation. 



Symptoms. Soft rot usually begins at the crown 

 and works downwards into the heart of the root. 

 The outside and harder tissue remains sound and 

 seems to form a firm coating to the centrally decayed 

 tissue. The bacteria work first in the fibro-vascular 

 bundles, the soft rotted portion being found in the 

 center of the root. The germ Bacillus carotovorus, 

 the cause of the soft rot of carrots, is responsible also 

 for this disease of the salsify. 



Control. It is suggested that roots which show soft 

 rot should not be used for seed crops. Diseased 

 roots should not be fed to cattle nor should they be 

 dumped on the manure pile. The storage cellar 

 should be allowed plenty of ventilation, especially 

 during the first three weeks of storage. 



WHITE RUST 

 Caused by Albugo tragopogonis (D. C.) Gray. 



White rust is a field disease that seldom gives any 

 trouble in dry seasons, nor is it found to any appre- 

 ciable extent on new lands. The disease is charac- 



1 Clinton, G. P., Connecticut Agr. Expt. Sta., 38th, Ann. Rept, ; 

 25-27, 1914. 



