58 HATCH EXPERIMENT STATION. [Jan. 



with tile or one and one-half or two inch steam piping. 

 The tile allows the steam to escape very readily ; and, in 

 order to get the best eft'ect, they should be laid close to- 

 gether, say one foot, or less. In case steam pipes are 

 used, — and they are probably more effective than tile, — 

 they should be bored with holes every three or four inches, 

 to allow the steam to escape. With an arrangement of this 

 kind, one would be able to sterilize the soil in a few hours. 

 A pit twenty feet long, ten feet wide and eighteen inches 

 deep would hold sufficient soil to cover twelve hundred 

 square feet of surface three inches deep. The time required 

 to heat this earth up to 200° F. would be only a few hours. 

 Of course the pressure of steam available, the closeness of 

 the pipes and the number of outlets for the steam would 

 largely determine the time necessary to heat the earth. 



Various methods of treatment for this disease are being 

 tried, to determine how it may be most eftectually dealt 

 with. In connection with the method of steam sterilization, 

 which seems by far the most promising, it is especially de- 

 sirable to ascertain just how deep the soil must be sterilized 

 in order to keep down the fungus. 



The Asparagus Rust. 

 (Puccinia asjmragi. D. C.) 



In the last annual report of this division attention was 

 called to a new disease which had appeared upon the aspar- 

 agus, and the apprehension expressed that it might come to 

 be a serious matter. That apprehension has been more than 

 justified. The asparagus rust, unknown to the growlers of 

 Massachusetts in 1895, slightly prevalent in 1896, has ap- 

 peared everywhere during the past season, and bids fair to 

 become a most important factor in the growing of this crop. 



The disease first appeared in the fall of 1896, both in this 

 State and in several others, but was not generally prevalent 

 at that time, although in some fields it was very abundant. 

 Cutting and burning infested tops was generally recom- 

 mended and to some extent practiced ; but the majority of 

 asparagus growers had not as yet become acquainted with 

 this new danger menacing their crops. 



