Bugs and Diseases 



201 



on the area. Five -sixths of the cabbages were mined. About 

 10 per cent of the turnips were affected, but not seriously. In 

 1896 the area was fallow, with good tillage, until late summer, 

 when turnips were sown. Again the turnips showed a little 

 disease. In 1897 and 1898 the area was occupied by general 

 vegetable crops other than cabbages, cauliflowar and turnip. 

 In 1899 cabbage and cauliflower were again grown on the area, 

 and they were free from the disease. The region from which the 

 soil was imported still suffers from club-root; but here it was 

 starved out in two or three years. 



3. Make every effort to secure strong, stocky, con- 

 tinuous-growing: plants. Such plants are less liable 

 to the attacks of many kinds of insects and fungi. 

 Even if they are attacked, they have a better chance 

 of coming through alive. Weak and soft plants are 

 poor for any purpose, but they are particularly unsat- 

 isfactory when they must withstand the attacks of 

 insects and fungi. 



4. Destroy plants which are seriously affected, 

 particularly those which are attacked by fungi. If the 

 vines are thrown on the manure pile, the probability 

 is that the disease will be distributed the next year 

 in the manure. If the manure is very thoroughly 

 rotted and composted, much of the danger will be 

 averted ; but even in that case it is wise not to take 

 the risk with such serious diseases as club -root, po- 

 tato blight and rot, and the blight of melons, cucum- 

 bers and tomatoes. In the fall, all diseased plants 

 and products should be collected and burned. 



5. In infected seed-beds, use new or sterilized 

 soil. Do not add to the seed-bed soil from a field in 

 which diseased crops of the given kind have grown. 



