142 HA'ICII EXPERIMENT STATION. [Jan. 



this State by teleutospores during the spring and summer, 

 and that the mycelium works up through the stem ; and if 

 the conditions for the plant are unfiivorable, pustules bear- 

 ing uredospores will break out in Jul}^ or August, whereas, 

 if the conditions for the plant are favorable, pustules bearing 

 teleutospores will make their appearance during September 

 or later. 



In case uredospores break out in the plant during July 

 and August, other beds in the vicinity, if in suitable condi- 

 tion, will invariably become infected. If, however, the crop 

 is in a vigorous condition, even if located close by, it will 

 resist the outbreak of the rust. This, indeed, has occurred 

 many times in beds side by side, although of different age 

 and vio-or, and in the case of those beds more or less remote it 

 may be stated that there are hundreds which have never had 

 any uredo outbreak. 



We observed a young bed of asparagus the past sunnner, 

 about two years old, which had never been cut, and which 

 had a teleutospore outbreak early in July. This bed suf- 

 fered much from drought, and was not in an especially 

 vigorous condition. It was, however, located on soil of 

 line texture, intermingled with coarse pebbles. There was 

 little inclination for the })lants of this bed to grow worse, 

 notwithstanding the fact that drought prevailed, and it re- 

 mained in practically the same condition all summer. On 

 dry soil this never occurs, since it is the uredo stage that 

 makes its appearance in these soils in July and August ; 

 and plants infected with this stage turn brown in a short 

 time after they become infected. Moreover, the teleuto- 

 spore outbreak occurring in summer is a perfectly harmless 

 factor, as far as immediate infecting of the bed is concerned. 

 Our studies of the rust problem have shown that there is an 

 intimate connection existiiiij between the texture and water 

 contents of soils and uredospore outbreaks, and a series of 

 water determinations of different soils during the season 

 would probably bring out some interesting facts. 



Spraying with Bcn-deaux mixture has not proved satis- 

 factory in this State as a means of controlling the rust, and 

 little or no use is now made of it for this purpose. 



Some reports have ])een made concerning the use of the 



