38 MAINE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 



work if a still greater number will avail themselves of the oppor- 

 tunity. In return for the specimens the Station will endeavor to 

 determine the nature of the disease and advise methods of con- 

 trol if such are known. Such specimens often suggest needed 

 lines of investigation and as the practice of sending them in 

 for identification becomes increasingly common it will become 

 increasingly difficult for a new and dangerous plant disease to 

 establsh itself within the borders of the State. 



PREVALENCE OF PLANT DISEASES IN I912 WITH SUGGESTIONS 

 FOR THEIR CONTROL. 



Diseases of orchard trees and fruits. Apple scab, while 

 always of the greatest economic importance in Maine, was' par- 

 ticularly severe the past season. This was due to the very 

 favorable climatic conditions during the early part of the grow- 

 ing season, namely an abundance of rainy, cloudy weather. Not 

 only was the fruit crop badly damaged by this disease but the 

 foliage suffered severely in many instances with certain varie- 

 ties, and in one case specimens were received from a young 

 orchard where the twigs were killed back by the fungus. Wher- 

 ever spraying was properly done and at the right time the dis- 

 ease was largely controlled. In some cases pink rot of the 

 fruit was very destructive in storage on apples affected by scab. 



Black rot is probably next to apple scab in importance as 

 the same fungus causes the leaf spot and canker, as well as the 

 decay of the fruit. About the same amount of damage was 

 recorded from this fungus in 1912 as usual, although a few cases 

 were recorded where the owners reported that the canker was 

 quite destructive and increasing. For the treatment of this 

 and other apple diseases the reader is referred to Bulletin 185 

 of this Station or pages 380 to -HO of the Report of the Com- 

 missioner of Agrculture for 19 10. 



Crown gall appears to be becoming increasingly common upon 

 the nursery stock shipped into the State, judging from the 

 specimens received. Trees so affected should not be set and 

 nursery men supplying them should be refused patronage. 

 Numerous specimens of various other diseases of the apple 

 were received but those mentioned are of the greatest import- 

 ance. 



