BOOKS AND 



not know the exact nature of the disease called the 'yel- 

 lows' and cannot wholly control the atmospheric causes, 

 the other causes we can largely control, and by careful 

 cultivation in the spring and early summer only, by the 

 use of complete fertilizers in the fall or early in the spring 

 we can largely prevent this destructive disease. It may 

 not be profitable to try to save diseased trees, and it 

 would be advisable to destroy them as a matter of safety, 

 although we have no evidence that the disease is conta- 

 gious ; for upon the college grounds more or less dis- 

 eased trees may be found at all times, and young trees 

 are planted where old ones have died, and with an abun- 

 dance of plant food, have grown in perfect health for 

 six years. " 



Bulletin No. 64, New Jersey Experiment Station. 

 Some FiingS^o\ns Diseases of tlie Cranherry . By B. J). 

 Halsted. Pp 40. Illustiated. This is the first experi- 

 ment station bulletin to treat of the cranberry. It con- 

 siders two diseases, one of which is new. 

 Cranberry The cranberry gall-fungus is the name 

 Gall-Fungus, which Dr. Halsted gives to a new disease 

 which is sometimes locally known as "red 

 rust." So far as known it occurs only in parts of a sin- 

 gle cranberry bog near Brown's Mill, Burlington Co., 

 N. J. The disease was first observed in 1886. "The 

 next season it was quite generally spread over a half of 

 the bog ; in 1888 it was still more abundant, and ruined 

 the crop upon the attacked areas. * * * The galls, 

 since their discovery three years ago, have made their 

 appearance with much promptness about the first of 

 May." These galls are minute, and appear upon the 

 leaves, flowers and stems. " To the naked eye the galls 

 are small protuberances, but as they are usually in con- 

 siderable numbers on the same part, the infested portion 

 is misshapen, often dwarfed, and of a red appearance." 

 The disease is caused by a fungus known as Synchytriinu 

 Vaccina. It occurs on huckleberries, laurels, winter- 

 greens and other plants bordering the bog. Definite 

 remedies cannot yet be advised, but the following is sug- 

 gested : "Withholding the water from the bog during 

 the winter and spring may subdue the fungus, but it 

 would probably be a quicker and even cheaper way to 

 burn the infested plants, and this includes the shrubs 

 along the border and elsewhere that are attacked." 



The obscure and vicious cranberry scald or rot is also 

 due to a fungus. This disease attacks the fruits early 

 in the season, first as a "scald," but later 

 Cranberry causing decay. It is estimated that one- 

 Scald, third of the New Jersey crop last year was 

 ruined by this disease. Dr. Halsted pre- 

 sents opinions from 67 cranberry growers in various 

 states. His studies have not yet led to remedies. "Sand- 

 ing the bog, and controlling the water so that it will be 

 low in midsummer, have usually been a benefit to scalded 

 bogs. " 



Bulletin No. i. Vol. Ill, Ohio Experiment Sta- 

 tion. Experiments with Potatoes. By W. J. Green. 

 Pp. 14.. Many trials of potatoes during two years, both 

 at the station and in other parts of the state, give the fol- 



BULLETINS. 367 



lowing results : "The most productive of the early va- 

 rieties are Oxford, Puritan Early and Crown Jewel. 

 Next in order stand Nott and Lee Favorite. Of the 

 medium and late sorts. Empire State, Summit, Seneca 

 Beauty, White Elephant and Delaware rank 

 the highest of those that are fully tested Potatoes 

 Including early, medium and late varieties, 'n Ohio, 

 not fully tested, those that are the most prom- 

 ising are Queen (New Queen), Rural New-Yorker, Super- 

 ior (Burpee's Superior) and Minnesota Early. Early 

 Ohio, Ohio Junior and Stray Beauty rank as the earliest, 

 but are unproductive. Albino and Chas. Downing seem 

 to be less reliable than formerly, probably owing to sus- 

 ceptibility to blight. Northern Spy and Monroe Prize 

 are inferior in appearance, hence not valuable for mar- 

 ket. The former is unproductive, and it is not probable 

 that the latter will rank very high in this respect. Ox- 

 ford, Seneca Beauty and Delaware show comparatively 

 little variation on different kinds of soil." 



Seven systems of fertilizing were compared in a field 

 of three acres, laid off into plots of one-twentieth acre. 

 The tests have been continued two seasons. The land 

 was considerably worn, and blight injured 

 the crop both years. "There is more in Fertilizers 

 the results to teach what not to do than for Potatoes, 

 otherwise, " but several important conclu- 

 sions are drawn. The superphosphates, acid phosphate 

 and Thomas' Slag "have in nearly all cases increased 

 the yield." Stable manure tends to produce scab. 

 Yields are not increased by any fertilizer on soil " al- 

 ready in a high state of fertility. "The most feasible" 

 method is to bring the soil up to the proper condition by 

 enriching the land for previous crops." Sulphate of 

 potash, nitrate of soda and sulphate of ammonia do not 

 appear to be profitable fertilizers for the potato. 



Mr. Green makes the following conclusions of several 

 years of experiment with different methods of cutting 

 potatoes : " i. Other conditions 



being the same, the larger the cut- Green on 



ting the greater the total product ; Cutting Potatoes, 

 i. e., the total product varies in 



about the same ratio as the size of the cutting. 2. The 

 marketable product also increases as the size of the cut- 

 ting is increased, but does not follow the same ratio as 

 the total product, the rate of gain being less. 3. The 

 increase is found in both the large and small potatoes, 

 the greater portion being in the latter. 4, A crop grown 

 from whole potatoes matures at an earlier date than from 

 small cuttings. 5. Small cuttings require soil that is 

 more highly enriched and thoroughly prepared than 

 large cuttings and whole potatoes, in order to secure a 

 good stand and to produce a profitable crop. 6. The 

 question of relative profit, as between the use of small 

 cuttings and whole potatoes, depends upon the cost of 

 seed potatoes, the date at which the crop is to be har- 

 vested and sold, and the condition of the soil at planting 

 time. 7, In ordinary practice it will usually be found 

 that neither extreme as to quantity of seed used will be 

 found to be profitable The safest plan is to use large, 



