4 1 4 MAIZE 



CHAP. $2,000,000 to $5,500,000. Ninety per cent of the rot is found 

 x - to be due to Diplodia Zece [Heald, Wilcox, and Poole, 1). In 

 Nebraska it has been found that there is a loss of weight on 

 infected ears of over 50 per cent {Burrill and Barren, 2). 



This disease is shown in Fig. 159, and is very fully de- 

 scribed and well illustrated by Burrill and Barrett (1 and 2), 1 

 who conclude that "in the case of the Diplodia disease, . . . 

 the fungus perpetuates itself over winter on old diseased ears 

 and old stalks," and recommend that all diseased ears be col- 

 lected and burned, and that where fields are infected to any 

 considerable extent, the stalks be deeply ploughed under or 

 burned. " If the first suggestion is adopted and the second 

 followed wherever necessity demands it," they consider that 

 serious losses will be practically prevented. 



In Illinois three species of Fusarium are found to be largely 

 responsible for 10 per cent of ear-rot in that State ; the char- 

 acteristic rot of each species is described by Heald, Wilcox, 

 and Poole (1). 



Smith and Hedges (1) point out that there is little doubt 

 that the manner of infection by ear-rots is from the soil into 

 the roots, from these to the interior of the stems, and thence 

 upward to the cobs, and finally to the grains, but that it is 

 not unlikely that certain soil conditions may favour or hinder 

 the root infection. 



" Unquestionably the Diplodia, like the Fusarium, is a soil- 

 organism persisting from year to year in infected fields, which 

 for this reason should be staked off and planted to other crops 

 than corn." 



They further suggest that " it is also worthy of inquiry 

 whether this fungus may not be the cause of the so-called 

 ' cornstalk ' disease prevalent among cattle in the West. It is 

 also possible that to Diplodia should be referred the great 

 number of deaths of negroes in the South during the past 

 three years, from the so-called pellagra (Chap. XIV) following 

 the consumption of mouldy corn-meal and mouldy hominy. 

 This fungus {Diplodia) is also a cause of mouldy corn in Italy. 

 The only other fungi we have reason for suspecting in this con- 

 nection are species of Aspergillus " {Smith and Hedges, 1). 



1 See also Barrett (1). 



