572 DISEASES OF CULTIVATED PLANTS 



plete abeyance during the night, when root action is still 

 vigorous owing to the warmness of the soil. Under these 

 circumstances water accumulation takes place to such an 

 extent in the cells of the fruit that an actual bursting of the 

 cells may occur.' 



It is stated that no ready remedy can be offered, and it is 

 believed that the only method of overcoming the difficulty is 

 by making a clean start by raising South African seedlings in 

 the localities where the fruit is to be grown. By such means 

 it is considered that adaptation to environment could be best 

 brought about. 



I am afraid this is somewhat cold comfort, considering the 

 fact that bitter-pit is often rampant in Europe on the offspring 

 of trees that have had ample time to become acclimatised. 



Pole Evans, J. B., Transvaal Dept. Agric., Bull. No. i 

 (1909). 



Annual loss on farm crops due to fungi. Professor 

 W. A. Orton, in an article on the importance of the 

 development of farm crops resistant to disease, justifies his 

 statements by pointing out that the present losses from plant 

 diseases are a heavy tax upon the farmer. He states that 

 in the United States alone the average annual loss from oat 

 smut is more than $6,500,000; from loose-smut of wheat, 

 $3,000,000 ; and from bunt, or stinking smut of wheat, more 

 than $11,000,000. Loose-smut annually diminishes the value 

 of barley $2,000,000, a careful estimate of the loss in one 

 State last year placing it as 7 per cent. The combined effect 

 of the various diseases of fungal origin attacking the potato, 

 diminish the yield of this crop over $36,000,000 each year. 

 The above account shows that an annual loss amounting to 

 over ^11,000,000 is sustained, due to the injury caused by 

 fungi to cereals and potatoes alone. 



This, however, is not all ; it is further stated that the 

 losses from the cereal rusts and from the numerous minor 

 troubles of farm crops, concerning which accurate data are 

 difficult to secure, amount to hundreds of millions of dollars. 



Vast as is the direct loss arising from plant diseases, the 

 indirect losses are also great, as the expense of treating plant 

 diseases is also very considerable. Of still greater importance 

 is the indirect loss resulting from the limitation of industries. 

 The risk from disease frequently operates to reduce the 



