18 



SCIENTIFIC AGRICULTURE 



January, 1921. 



Conclusions. 



The above article deals with apple orchard condi- 

 tions. Much experience has been gained within the 

 last few years on dusting potatoes and other field 

 crops, but the time would hardl.y seem ripe yet for a 

 close anal,ysis of this phase of the sub.iect. But in the 

 orchard it would seem to be possible to make the fol- 

 lowing fairly definite statements : 



1. — Dusting has several definite advantages over 

 sprajdng. 



2. — Dusting is as efficient as spray in the control of 

 scab and of biting insects. 



3. — Dusting is as cheap, or can be made as cheap as 

 spraying. 



4. — Dusting is inferior to spray in the control of 

 sucking insects. 



This last point is often comparatively unimport- 

 ant. The average Nova Scotia orchard does not re- 

 quire treatment for sucking insects on an average more 

 than once in five years, and as long as sufficient spra.y 

 outfits are in the district for this purpose, all other 

 treatments may be left to the dust. Doubtless many 

 districts are similarly situated. 



(T/ie second article in this series will appear in an 

 early issue.) ! . 



Canadian Branch of the American 

 Phytopathological Society 



Second Annual Meeting. 



This meeting was held in the Biological building 

 of the Ontario Agricultural College at Cnelph, On- 

 tario, on December 9th and 10th, 1920. There were 

 present about forty members including Dr. Buller 

 of Manitoba University, Dr. Faull, of Toronto Uni- 

 versity, Dr. MacClement and Dr. Reid, of Queen's 

 Universiity, Prof. Fraser, of Saskatoon, Prof. Dick- 

 son, of Macdonald College, Dr. Rankin, of St. Catpie- 

 rines. Prof. Howitt and Dr. Stone, of the O.A.C., F. 

 L. Drayton and A. W. MacCallum, of Ottawa, and 

 many others. The gue.st of honour was Dr. Donald 

 Reddick of Cornell University, a leader in plant 

 nathology, one of the founders of the official organ 

 Phvtopathology and ali?o of Botanical Abstracts. 



Dr. Buller occupied the presidential chair and 

 delivered an excellent address in which he pointed 

 f>ut t.he almost incredible losses incurred annually 

 by agricultfure because of planit, diseases and the 

 lamentable lack of experts. This condition was 

 sih'own to be exceedingly serious especially when 

 compared with present progress in the United States 

 of America. Great Britain, France, Japan, India, 

 Australia and South Africa. 



During the business meeting the committee ap- 

 pointed to wait on the Honorable Minister of Asrri- 

 culture relative to the appointment of a Dominion 

 Botanist who could command the confidence of both 

 pathologists and agriculturists, reported that the 

 matter wa^ under consideration and that action was 

 promised. In view of tihe fadt that so far no action 

 has been taken and that since the last meeting still 

 another c.xjx'rt pathologist has been lost to Canada, 



iit was unanimously decided to retain the committee 

 for further action during the coming year. This 

 was rendered all the more imperative since tjie work 

 so excellently carried on by Professor Fraser, at 

 Saskatoon, is in danger of being brought to an end 

 owing to lack of help. This would be the greatest 

 blow possible to any attempt to control rusts of 

 cereals in Canada. 



Dr. Donald Reddick in a public evening address 

 gave a lucid and interesting account of the trend 

 in plant palholog;v', and among many important fea- 

 tures pointed out that the great advances in our 

 knowledge of thii^, science came from the years of 

 careful painstaking work which did not directly ap- 

 peal to the layman. But the results of such scien- 

 tific endeavor can be made obvious to the layman if 

 the proper facilities were available. 



Brief me?]tion is 'here made of the papers given 

 applying directly to plant diseases. 



Professor Dickson ishowed thalt in addition to to- 

 bacco, tomato, jiotato, clovers, etc., suffering from 

 mosaic, raspberry likewise suffers from this most 

 widespread disease. In the past mosaic of raspberry 

 had been confused with "yellows or curl." A de- 

 .scripDion was also given of mosaic on Vicia faba. 



The biologic strains of sit«m rust of wheat, as 

 studied by Fraser, Bailey and Miss Newton, in the 

 West were explained by Professor Fraser, the diffi- 

 culty and importance of wjiich work needed no em- 

 phasizing. 



Dr. Stone reported a new disease of strawberry, 

 prevalent on Clyde and Glen Mary, in Ontario, 

 caused by Mollisia eai'liana (E & E) Sace. Trials 

 conducted so far tended to show tOiat it could be con- 

 trolled by destroying old leaves in the autumn. Sen- 

 ator Dunlap is resiistant to this disease up to the 

 present 



That Ithe dry formaldehyde treatment of oats for 

 smut (one pint formalin to one pint water) is the 

 most efficacious and the most easy to handle was 

 clearly shown by Profes,sor Howitt "s experiments 

 crtverinc a period of three years. T.here is no appre- 

 ciable in.iury to germination and the seed does not 

 swell as a result of treatment. 



Work on tihe plant disease survey durinsr 1920 was 

 reported by Dr. Rankin and further developments 

 jilanned for 1921. This is a very important phase 

 of plant pathology, for it. is only by a careful survey, 

 i;iiat serious plunt diseai-vs are located regionally. Dr. 

 Rankins and Professor Fraser's work in this respect 

 was accorded the hearty approbation of the Society. 



Dr. Faull discussed vei'v clearly the itimber rot 

 caused by Fomes fomentarius wliic.h is prevalent in 

 Ontario forests. 



Charact^^ristically interesting papers were read by 

 Dr. Buller. supplemented by excellent lantern slides 

 and ^Ir. Duff gave an account of his studies on tIhe 

 Oeoglossaceae. 



Professor Caeser urged the importance of extension 



vvnr-l< in tlie control of plant disea.ses. 



The officers for the ensuing year are as follows: 

 Prpsident— J. H. Faull. 

 Vice-President — H. Rankin, 

 Secretary-Treasurer — R. E. Stone, 

 Councillors— A. H. R. Buller, B. T. Dickson. 



