102 The Spraying of Plants. 



dormant canes with the sulphate of iron solution is recom- 

 mended. When the plants are in leaf, the Bordeaux mixture 

 should be substituted for the solution. In treating beans for the 

 anthracnose, solutions of the liver of sulphur are most prized, 

 as less danger is connected with their use. Treatments of the 

 following plants for fungous diseases are also recommended, 

 the copper compounds being particularly advised : catalpa, for 

 leaf spot ; rose, for black spot ; rose rust, for which the chloride 

 of iron is preferred, it having been reported as of value in the 

 treatment of a coffee disease ; and gooseberry, for mildew. The 

 Grison liquid is also mentioned. 



The work of controlling plant diseases, other than that 

 planned by the United States Department of Agriculture, was 

 conspicuous by its absence. The agricultural journals occa- 

 sionally copied parts of the government reports, or made recom- 

 mendations, but scarcely a record of individual efforts can be 

 found. The various State stations already established were 

 also inert, with a single exception. Goff was continuing the 

 work he had begun in 1885, and this year, 1887, treated apple 

 trees with the hyposulphite of soda, and with the Audoynaud's 

 eau celeste. The former proved as satisfactory as in preceding- 

 years. The latter, however, was too strong for the foliage, one 

 application causing decidedly injurious effects. The fruits on 

 portions that were sprayed three times dropped from the trees 

 before maturity. 1 These experiments may have formed the 

 basis of the remarks in the report of the Section of Vegetable 

 Pathology regarding the injury caused by eau celeste, for I can 

 find no other account of the use of this fungicide during the 

 year upon apples. Arthur also reports marked success in the 

 use of the sulphide of potassium in the treatment of gooseberry 

 mildew, the solution being used at the rate of one-half ounce 

 of the chemical to one gallon of water. 2 



After the establishment of the government experiment sta- 

 tions, most of which were organized in 1888, the bulk of the 

 work done to advance the methods of controlling plant diseases 

 was carried on by the stations and by the Department of Agri- 

 culture at Washington, the work of the Section of Vegetable 

 Pathology being especially thorough. The published reports 



1 Ann. Rep. N. Y. State Affric. Exp. Sta. 1887, 99-101. * Ibid. 348. 



