VEGETABLE AND FIELD CROPS 263 



Anthracnose, coUetotrichose (Colletotrichum nigrum 

 Ell. & Halst.). — This disease resembles the last except that 

 the centers of the soft spots change to a decided black as 

 they age. 



Leaf spot, phyllostictose {Phyllosticta sp.}. — Small, cir- 

 cular, leaf spots of ashen color bearing pycnidia indicate 

 phyllostictose. 



Macrosporiose {Macrosporium sp.) . — This malady renders 

 the fruit moldy and black, particularly at the blossom 

 end. It is one of the most destructive of pepper diseases. 



POTATO 



Late blight, downy mildew (Phytophthora infestans (Mont.) 

 DeBy.), — In the year 1889 Lamson-Scribner,^ writing of 

 this, the most serious potato disease, said, " It prevails in 

 all potato countries of the world, and causes more damage 

 to the potato than all other injuries combined." It is 

 possible that all that Scribner regarded as blight would 

 not to-day be included under the disease at present under 

 discussion; still the disease holds its place among the worst 

 of plant diseases of the world. 



It is estimated that in New York State alone the blight 

 has caused a loss of $10,000,000 in one year, and the annual 

 loss in the United States is placed at $36,000,000.- The 

 loss reported in one year from Ohio was $2,000,000 ; from 

 Wisconsin $5,000,000. The bUght is supposed to have 

 originated in South America and to have been brought to 

 this country about 1840. 



The disease may appear on any part of the leaf, but the 



1 Lamson-Scribner, F., Tenn. Agr. Exp. Sta. Bui. 2, 2, April, 1889. 



2 Orton, W. A., U.S. Dept. Agr. Yearbook, 1908, p. 453. 



