1905.] 



Importation of Live Stock. 



301 



been received from three widely separated localities, which 

 suggests that it has invaded this country in earnest. 



The symptoms are very marked and cannot be confounded 

 with those of any other tomato disease at present known. 

 When the tomato is about the size of a marble a minute 

 blackish patch first appears at the base of the style. This 

 patch gradually increases in size, retaining a circular outline, 

 until eventually the entire fruit is reduced to a blackish, soft 

 decayed mass. 



Experiments have shown that infection takes place during 

 the flowering stage, and that the bacteria causing the disease 

 are deposited on the stigma by flies visiting the flowers. 



The stigma appears to be the only vulnerable part under 

 ordinary conditions ; nevertheless, if bacteria from a diseased 

 fruit are introduced into the flesh of a healthy tomato at any 

 point of its surface by means of the point of a very fine needle, 

 infection follows. 



This disease does not appear to be influenced to any extent 

 by the forcing method of cultivation commonly followed, as it 

 has been observed in a house where the temperature was kept 

 comparatively low. 



When the disease appears all diseased fruit should be 

 removed as quickly as possible, and not allowed to decay and 

 liberate the bacteria present in the tissues. Insects should 

 also be excluded by using an insecticide. This last act would 

 necessitate artificial pollination with a camel-hair brush. 



The French Ministry of Agriculture have issued a Decree 

 dated June nth, 1905, dealing with the importation and transit 

 of animals. 



Importation Of It provides that the importation and 

 Live Stock. — r 1 1 



France * transit ot horses, asses, cattle, sheep, goats 



and pigs is pnly to take place through 



certain specified Customs-houses. 



* Live stock import regulations have been published in this Journal for the follow- 

 ing countries : — Transvaal, March, 1903 ; United States, June, 1903, and Oct., 1904 ; 

 Argentina, Jan., 1905; Cape Colony, Feb., 1905; Canada, March, 1905; New 

 South Wales, April, 1905 ; Germany, May, 1905; New Zealand, June, 1905; and 

 South Australia, July, 1905. 



