PLANT DISEASES IN I908. 3 



those raised for like purposes in many other parts of the coun- 

 try. However, in order to have these conditions prevail growers 

 and shippers of seed potatoes should at once learn to recognize 

 both of these diseases and not knowingly ship potatoes intended 

 for seed purposes from any fields showing either disease. If 

 any doubt should arise as to whether either disease exists on a 

 given field, specimens of the aflfected plants should be at once 

 sent to the station. 



Orchard Diseases of the Year. 



On account of the appointment of Dr. Charles E. Lewis as 

 associate pathologist, beginning July i, it has been possible to 

 commence certain lines of work on orchard diseases which have 

 been under consideration since the Department of Plant Pathol- 

 ogy was established two years ago. Comparatively little was 

 known as to the nature and extent of Maine orchard diseases, 

 and preliminary to opening up studies of a more fundamental 

 nature upon the fungi associated with certain apple diseases 

 Doctor Lewis has isolated many cultures from spots on apple 

 leaves, collected by himself and the writer, and representing 

 nearly every part of the State were the apple is grown to any 

 extent. From an equally representative territory cultures have 

 been obtained from decaying apples either on the tree or in stor- 

 age. The more important results in connection with this work 

 will be given by Doctor Lewis in a later publication. 



It is sufficient at this time to say that Maine appears to have 

 in varying degree a relatively large number of the fruit rots 

 which have been described as occurring on the apple in diflferent 

 parts of the United States. Among them may be mentioned 

 those caused by the following fungi : — Sphaeropsis malorum Pk. 

 (black rot), GlomereUa rufomaculans (Berk.) Sp. & von Schr. 

 (bitter rot), Sclerotinia fructigena (Pers.) Schrt. (brown rot), 

 Cepholothecium roseum Corda. (pink rot), and species of Peni- 

 celliiim, Botryfis, Rhizopus and Alternaria. In addition at least 

 4 other apple rots have been encountered, a part of which are 

 caused either by what are apparently undescribed species of 

 fungi or fungi which are not listed as causing apple decay. 



Only preliminary work has been done in testing by inoccula- 

 tion of fruit with fungi isolated from leaf spots, but at least 3 



