316 Eeport of the Assistant Horticulturist of the 
THRIPS IN STRAWBERRY BLOSSOMS. 
On June 27, numerous minute insects were found in strawberry 
blossoms, which appeared to be feeding upon the pollen. Specimens 
of the blossoms containing the insects were sent to Dr. J. A. Lintner, 
State Entomologist, who identified the insects as belonging to the 
family of Thrijndoe. It was the first account he had received of their 
appearance in this State. The strawberry crop in Illinois was greatly 
injured by their ravages in 1886, but I could not perceive that they 
caused any injury to our crop. 
No remedy was tried, as the insects disappeared as suddenly as 
they came. 
A FUNGUS DISEASE OF THE CUCUMBER. 
The green fruits of the cucumber growing in the Station garden 
were found to have received injuries that rendered them unfit for 
pickling. The injury consisted of numerous small, round, shallow 
depressions, from | to J of an inch in diameter, from which at first a 
gummy-like substance exuded. Afterwards this substance appeared to 
dry up, leaving the depression covered with a thin film of black 
substance. 
These injuries appeared as though they had been caused by an 
insect, but a microscopical examination by Dr. J. C. Arthur revealed 
the fact that the trouble was really due to a fungus allied to the 
Fusicladium and Cladosporium. 
" The spots are caused by the growth of a fungus, a species of Clado- 
sporium, very similar in microscopic characters to Cladosporium 
herbarum, which grows on all kinds of dead and dying vegetation. 
But as the growth in this case is upon otherwise perfectly healthy 
fruit, it may be doubted if it is that species. The fungus produces 
on the surface of the spots great numbers of two-celled spores which 
germinate in a few hours after being placed in water. The rapidity 
with which the fungus can be disseminated indicates a probability of 
its becoming as general and formidable a disease as tomato rot is at 
the present time." — J. C. Arthur. 
NOTES ON GARDEN VEGETABLES. 
Beet. 
In testing the varieties of beets and mangels, those named in the 
following tables were planted April 22, in rows twelve feet long and 
forty-two inches apart, one row to each name. The land devoted to 
testing vegetables was liberally manured with well-rotted manure, and 
plowed in the fall of 1886. The ground was kept free from weeds and 
the plants in the rows thinned to about six inches apart. 
