54 



BOOKS AND BULLETINS. 



is not destructive enough to be specially noticed. When, 

 however, under peculiar circumstances, the crop is in- 

 jured to the extent now sometimes known, the loss is 

 very great, not only to individual farmers, but to the 

 country at large." 



The disease "commonly occurs in spots of various 

 sizes, from a few square rods to an 

 A New Disease acre or more, and often, though by no 

 of Corn. means always, on soil of a character 



somewhat different from the rest of the 

 field." Ordinarily the first indication of the disease 

 is a dwarfed condition of the plants. Later the stalks 

 become yellow and unusually slender, and sometimes 

 the plant dies prematurely. Generally, however, the 

 plants live during the season. "When some of the 

 affected plants are pulled from the ground, they are 

 found to give way too easily in consequence of the death, 

 to a greater or less extent, of the oldest and lowest roots. 

 In anything like severe cases, at least one-half the roots 

 — always the lowest — are injured and usually dead. The 

 bottom portion of the stalk is likewise affected and will 

 be found dead or dying. If split longitudinally through 

 the middle, the inner tissue of this lower part is seen to 

 have a uniform dark color ; and a similar discoloration, 

 gradually becoming less and less pronounced, appears in 

 the next succeeding nodes or joints, while the spaces 

 between them (internodes) are seemingly healthy. On 

 the surface when carefully freed from dirt, brownish, 

 corroded spots can be found, sometimes strictly bor- 

 dered, again diffusely spreading Sometimes masses of 

 semi-transparent, rather firm, gelatinous material are 

 found upon these external corrosions." After midsum- 

 mer the sheaths of the leaves become spotted and more 

 er less gelatinous. At last the ears show the malady. 

 "Externally, the appearance of the outer husks is like 

 that of the diseased leaf-sheaths. Internally, in the 

 ■worst stage, the whole ear — husks, which should be still 

 green, young cob and kernels, and the mass of ' silks ' — 

 is reduced to a moist state of corruption, though not ill- 

 scented. The parts lose their normal rigid or turgid 

 quality, appear as if wilted, and are packed closely to- 

 gether, if not actually adhering by the gummy exuda- 

 tion from the tissues. Very often these ears subsequently 

 become mouldy, penetrated through and through by a 

 close, very white, felt-like fungus. Possibly this fungus 

 sometimes makes its inroads into the ear without the 

 bacteria as forerunners ; but from present knowledge it 

 seems probable that it is a secondary intruder. These 

 mouldy ears are in certain seasons very numerous and 

 are readily recognized by the husker, as well as by the 

 buyer when the loads are sent to market. " 



The disease was first noticed so long ago as 1882, and 

 in 1887 the author had made studies of it. There is 

 some indication that it is associated with a virulent dis- 

 ease of cattle and an epidemic among chinch bugs. Dr. 

 Burrill has inoculated healthy corn with the bacteria 

 and has succeeded in producing the disease. The mal- 

 ady has been observed in many places in Illinois, in some 

 cases destroying fields. It is yet too early to look for 



remedies. There is indication of "more injury on land 

 which has been planted with corn the preceding year, 

 though the rule does not always hold good." 



Bulletin No. 2, Virginia Experiment Station. Ex- 

 periment Orchard, and Small Fruits. By Wm. B. Al- 

 wood. Pp. 16. Mr. Alwood is evidently inaugurating a 

 vigorous campaign in Virginia. The bul- 

 letin in hand is but a list of varieties of Fruits in 

 fruits already set and an explanation to his Virginia, 

 constituents, but it indicates a good start. 

 While the station is ready and anxious to test all new 

 varieties of fruits, it "does not undertake to test long 

 lists of seedlings to determine their value, but desires 

 only those which are thought to have merit." This is 

 an example which all stations should follow. 



Bulletin No. 7, Alabama Experiment Station. This 

 bulletin contains, among other things, records of tests 

 with tomatoes, potatoes, beans and peas, 

 by James Clayton. The results are tab- Vegetables in 

 ular, but few conclusions are drawn, and Alabama, 

 the figures are not full enough to present 

 measures of the varieties. It is wholly impossible, any- 

 way, to construct an accurate judgement of a variety 

 from mere weights and measurements. The only tan- 

 gible parts of the vegetable records are the following 

 sentences ; " Amongst the varieties of tomatoes, espec- 

 ial attention is called to the Acme, Golden Queen, Par- 

 agon and several others of Livingston's varieties, as 

 being all that anyone could desire." Among potatoes 

 "the Burbank, Mammoth Prolific and Ross' New Giant 

 are specially mentioned as being prolific, smooth and of 

 good size, while the keeping qualities of the Burbank 

 are unsurpassed." 



Bulletin No. 4, Florida Experiment Station. Peacli 

 Growing in Florida, by James DePass, and Entoiiiologist' s 

 Report, by James C. Neal. Pp. j6. The article upon 

 peach growing is not the result of ex- 

 periment station work, but is given Peach Growing 

 in lieu of other matter, as the teach- in Florida, 



ing of an " experience of over twenty 



years in cultivating the peach." The article is a con- 

 densed statement of what, where and how to plant. The 

 varieties recommended are largely the products or sup- 

 posed products of the Honey and Peen-to peaches, which 

 succeed far better than the varieties planted in the mid- 

 dle and northern states. A complete and careful study 

 of these varieties is much needed, yet they are sufficiently 

 understood to make it possible for peach culture in Flor- 

 ida to become a commercial success. The borer, cur- 

 culio and root-knot are the greatest hindrances to peach 

 culture in the state, but it is only the last which now 

 causes alarm. Mr. De Pass considers deep planting a 

 preventive of injury from root-knot. Planting eight to 

 ten inches deep in high and dry soils is advised. Any- 

 thing which adds great vigor to the tree is also useful in 

 this connection. ' ' I advise those whose trees are suffer- 

 ing to dig holes by the side of them, fertilize them, and 

 after several weeks, transplant in these holes, cutting 

 them back freely." L. H. B. 



