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Some Large Botanical Problems. 



J. C. Arthur. 



Every farmer, without doubt, desires to produce bumper crops. As 

 agriculture is one of the large factors iu uational prosperity, it is to the 

 interest of every person in whatever walk of life that bumper crops should 

 be produced. Tbe Experiment Station in each State has been established 

 to assist the cultivator, whether farmer, orchardist, gardener, or any other 

 grower, to solve the problems that hinder maximum production. Some of 

 the problems fall naturally to the botanist. It is well to review them, and 

 not only recognize where the problems lie. but have some idea of their 

 importance. As there are plenty of urgent botanical problems in the home 

 State, it will not be necessary to go outside of Tndiaua to find illustrative 

 material. 



Probably the associated problems that give greatest concern to the 

 cultivator, but which are obscure and little understood, and therefore 

 much in need of study, are the plant diseases which most botanists be- 

 lieve to be connected with soil sanitation. Often they occasion great loss 

 in a crop without the cause being apparent. The soil seems to be all right 

 and proper cultivation has been given, but the plants fail to make their 

 best growth or even dwindle and die. Reference is made to a variety 

 of diseases caused by minute fungi or bacteria, and which attack various 

 garden, truck and field crops. Some instances may be cited without pre- 

 tending to give them in the order of their importance. 



Soil Fungi Attacking Vegetables. — A conspicuous set of diseases, given 

 the name of wilt, is due to certain fungi or bacteria, in which the plants 

 develop normally and may even be bearing, when within a few days they 

 wilt and die as completely as if the roots had been severed. The wilt 

 of watermelons, usually due to a species of Fusarium, and of cantaloupes, 

 more often due to bacteria, has often carried off a large part or even all 

 of these crops, so extensively grown in the southern half of the State. 

 Tiie same or similar diseases extend to cucumbers, squashes and othej 

 cucurbits. The partial remedies so far used are rotation of crops and 

 disease-resistant varieties. The germs in certain cases are known to have 



