CURRANT DISEASES 213 
the Balkan and Hispanic peninsulas. It is especially preva- 
lent in Germany, Denmark, Belgium and Holland. Just 
when the parasite was introduced into the United States is 
not definitely known. It was found in Kansas in 1892, but at 
that time it was not recognized as the pathogene here under con- 
sideration. How it reached Kansas is not known. It became 
known in 1909 that several millions of young white pines had 
been previously imported from Germany, with which the fungus 
unquestionably was introduced. Later shipments brought it 
from France. Although Americans were warned of the appall- 
ing injury by the fungus to white pines in Europe, yet it became 
established here without attracting government consideration. 
In 1912 the federal government enacted The Plant Quarantine 
Act, which provides for the regulation and quarantine of diseased 
nursery-stock ; this, however, came too late, as the pathogene 
had by that time spread to several states in the Union. The 
disease has been found in Indiana, Ohio, New York, Pennsyl- 
vania, New Jersey, Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, 
Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Wisconsin and Minne- 
sota. It is also found in Ontario, Canada. It is now wide- 
spread on wild and cultivated Ribes in Connecticut, Rhode 
Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine. In time 
the disease will doubtless be found in all parts of temperate 
North America, although the federal and state governments 
are cooperating in an attempt to prevent such a calamity. 
Symptoms. 
On currants (Figs. 55 and 56) and gooseberries the disease 
is found from June first to leaf-fall. Rust pustules one-six- 
teenth to three-eighths of an inch across are formed on the lower 
sides of the leaves. These are scattered or dense, depending 
ov the intensity of the infection (Figs. 55 and 56). If severely 
affected, the leaves die and fall prematurely. The rusty mass 
on the leaves has given rise to the names currant-rust, felt-rust 
and currant felt-rust. 
