62 BULLETIN 727, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
These results indicate that lower concentrations are fairly effective. 
For practical use, however, the standard strength of 1 to 1,000 is 
preferable. 
In the large-scale field tests summarized in Table VIII, the deter- 
mination of the value of seed disinfection as a control measure is 
complicated by the relatively few cases of anthracnose occurrence 
in which there was no possibility of soil infestation. Disregarding 
this contingency, if is rather striking that the disease was present 
in only 14.6 per cent of the fields planted with treated seed as com= 
pared with 23.3 per cent of the controls. This indicates a prevention 
of disease in 8.7 per cent of the fields, or, on a comparative basis, 
prevention of 37 per cent of the cases that would normally have 
occurred. Eliminating all cases possibly attributable to overwinter- 
ing, we find the disease present in 1.3 per cent of the fields planted 
with treated seed as compared with 6.8 per cent of the controls, indi- 
cating a net gain of disease prevention in 5.5 percent of the fields, or, 
on the comparative basis, a prevention of 80 per cent of the out- 
breaks. 
In conclusion, it may be said that a successful control of anthrac- 
nose may quite possibly be secured by the use of disease-free seed 
in clean soil. 
SUMMARY. 
Anthracnose of cucurbits is caused by the fungus Colletotrichum 
lagenarium (Pass.) Ell. and Hals. 
The hosts are limited to the family Cucurbitaceze. Those of eco- 
nomic importance are the cucumber, muskmelon, and watermelon. 
The disease is common among Lagenaria gourds. The following 
cucurbits are added to the list of hosts: Benancasa cerifera, Tricho- 
santhes colubrina, Cucumis dipsaceus, C. melo var. dudaim, and C. melo 
var. fleruosus. Fruit infection occurred in Cucumis anguria and C. 
anguria var. grossulariae. Anthracnose was not found as‘a vine dis- 
ease in the genus Cucurbita, which includes squash, pumpkin, and 
certain gourds. Beans are not susceptible. 
This disease was first noticed in 1867 in Italy among Lagenaria 
gourds. Later, it appeared on melons in France, and it now occurs 
throughout Europe and the eastern United States wherever the 
hosts are grown. 
Serious losses are caused in the watermelon- -erowing indluaees of 
this country and among cucumbers grown for slicing purposes. 
Since the disease 1s more serious on. crops in which the fruits are long 
exposed to infection, the losses in the cucumber ee crop are not 
as great. 
Leaves, stems, and fruits are attacked. Leaves and even whole 
runners ond plants may be killed, and fruits may be blemished or 
become malformed. The lesions increase rather indefinitely in size. 
