408, OHIO EXPERIMENT STATION: BULLETIN 214 
MILLET 
Leaf-Spot. Leaves of millet, dying from small, light-colored spots, were 
recently examined. These spots are due to a fungus (Piricularia grisea (Cke) 
Sacc.) and the dying may at times be enough to shorten the yield of forage. 
Smut. The seeds of millet are often attacked by the millet smut fungus 
(Ustilago Crameri Kornicke) which transforms them into black masses of smut 
spores, much after the manner of stinking smut in wheat. This is liable to in- 
jure the feeding value of the millet, although it is not likely that the smut will 
injure stock when millet is fed in the usual quantities. All smutted grain, of 
course, is ineffective and useless, and the smutted seed when again sown will 
produce a smutted crop. The smut is prevented by the same hot water seed 
treatment as that applied to prevent oat smut. In experiments conducted by 
the Botanist of this Station this treatment was successful. 
MULBERRY 
Bacterial Diseases. Russian varieties of mulberries have new growths, es- 
pecially new sprouts attacked by a bacterium. These deep dark lesions result 
in cankers and all the various phenomena of the plant’s effort to heal a wound 
in the wood, The trouble is so diffiult to handle that where Russian mul- 
berries are badly attacked, rejections may be necessary. 
Leaf-Spot. Mulberries are at times attacked by a leaf-spot (Cercospora 
moricola Cke.) but this is rarely serious in our district. 
MUSKMELON 
Anthracnose. The common anthracnose fungus of the muskmelon (Collefo- 
trichum Lagenarium Pass.) is the same as that of the cucumber. It attacks the 
stems of plants of all sizes.as well as the leaves, resulting in the lesions of the 
stem and dead spots in the leaves. In these the fungus produces the fruiting 
bodies. After the seedling stage is passed it is usually possible to keep the 
anthracnose in check by the spraying as recommended for cucumbers. 
The fruit anthracnose of the muskmelon (Colletotrichum oligochaetum Cav.) is 
widely distributed and has occured with us. It forms yellowish, diseased spots 
on the fruits and may disfigure them considerable: It is too soon with us to 
estimate possible losses from it. Thorough spraying with Bordeaux mixture 
should hold it in check if begun on the young fruits and repeated once or twice at 
intervals. 
Black-Spot. In 1908 a case of black-rot or spot-rot of maskmelon fruits was 
reported with specimens. The spots were depressed and accompanied by decay. 
No definite causal organism was determined, although one or more were present 
in the spots. It is believed that spraying will hold it in check but the case was 
referred to us to late to test this.” 
Downy Mildew of muskmelon is caused by the same Plasmopara fungus as 
the downy mildew of cucumbers. As we have the fungus in Ohio it does not 
appear until towards the middle of August, but is then very destructive, sweep- 
ing rapidly over the melon fields and leaving only devastation behind. In its 
attacks the spots of the muskmelon leaves are somewhat different in shape and 
usually of a darker color than in the case of the cucumber. One with 
experience can readily distinguish by the use of an ordinary hand-glass. He 
will then see on the under side of the leaf the violet spores and spore-bearing 
