32 BULLETIN 486, U. S. DEPAKTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



in fields where they give trouble, to cut the stalks for planting into 

 short lengths. 12 to 18 inches, and to drop these pieces in the furrows 

 somewhat diagonally or otherwise, so that the ends will not touch. 



Of sugar-cane diseases the one causing by far the greatest damage 

 in the United States is the red-rot, caused by the fungus Colleto- 

 trichum falcatum. This disease is distributed throughout most of 

 the sections where cane is extensively grown. The most serious 

 damage from it has been reported from Louisiana and from the 

 sections of southern Georgia and northern Florida where large areas 

 are devoted to sugar cane. It does not seriously damage the growing 

 cane or affect its sugar content, but it has caused great losses in the 

 banks or windrows while in storage for spring planting. In recent 

 years on some farms it has frequentty caused losses ranging from 

 25 to 75 per cent of the cane put awaj 7 . Until the nature of this 

 disease, the manner of its propagation, and effective means for its 

 control have been better worked out for our climate it is advisable 

 to employ ordinary measures of field sanitation, such as (1) to avoid, 

 as far as feasible, the devotion of the same area to cane without an 

 interim of several years of planting to other crops; (2) putting 

 away seed cane from new ground or from areas where there is reason 

 to think the infection is not so great; and (3) trimming away the 

 badly diseased portions of the stalks at planting time. It should be 

 said, however, that it is not at present known to what degree these 

 measures are efficient in lessening the damage from red-rot. 



Root-rot (Marasmius sacchari) is responsible in some localities 

 for considerable reductions in yields and especially for the dying out 

 of stubbles, resulting in a poor stand. In the growing cane that is 

 diseased it is noticeable in the earlier stages and in wet weather as 

 a slimy growth between the leaf sheaths and the stalks near the ground, 

 and later by a cementing of the lower leaf sheaths to the stalks with 

 a whitish mold. In putting away seed cane such stalks, or at least 

 the affected lower ends of them, should be rejected. 



A number of other dangerous diseases and insect pests of sugar 

 cane have appeared in many foreign countries, so that it is unwise 

 to bring cane from any foreign country except through approved 

 quarantine stations. Recognizing these dangers, the Federal Horti- 

 cultural Board has instituted a strict quarantine against cane from 

 all foreign countries. Any proposed exceptions to this quarantine 

 against individual countries or parts of countries will have to be 

 considered by this board on their merits, exemptions being made 

 only after it is ascertained that the localities in question are free 

 from dangerous diseases and pests or after methods of treatment are 

 worked out which can be depended upon to exclude them. For the 

 introduction of small quantities of cane of hopeful new varieties 



