136 Report oF THE DEPARTMENT OF DoOTANY OF THE 
THE OUTLOOK FOR THE FUTURE. 
The question has been asked, Will anthracnose be destructive 
next season? Also, Is it likely to appear regularly every season 
hereafter and become a menace to the currant industry? It is 
our opinion that currant growers need not be alarmed. Anthrac- 
nose is by no means a new disease of currants. It has existed 
in the currant plantations of New York for at least twelve years 
and probably longer. In 1889 it was destructive; but since that 
time there is no published record of any damage done by it in 
this State. Judging from the past history of the disease it 
seems unlikely that it will become troublesome except in an 
occasional season when all conditions are favorable to it1® How- 
ever, we are not unmindful of the fact that diseases which spring 
suddenly into prominence as the currant anthracnose has done 
during the past season sometimes continue to be very destruc- 
tive. Striking examples of this are afforded by the cucumber 
downy mildew, Plasmopara cubensis, and the asparagus rust, 
Puccinia asparagi. The former first appeared in this country in 
i889 and has since become so destructive in the Eastern United 
States that the growing of late cucumbers must have been aban- 
doned had it not been discovered that the disease can be con- 
trolled by spraying.” The first epidemic of asparagus rust 
cecurred in 1896 in New Jersey, Long Island and Southern New 
England.’ Prior to 1896 it was practically unknown in America; 
but each season since 1896 it has been destructive and seems to 
be established as a permanent scourge of asparagus. 
“Exactly what weather conditions are most favorable to the disease is 
not known. The two epidemics of recent years in this State have both 
occurred in wet seasons (1889 and 1901) and naturally we infer that wet 
weather is favorable to the disease. However, Dr. Weiss states (Weiss, 
J. E. Die Blattfallkrankheit der Johannisbeerstraticher. Praktische Blitter 
ftir Pflanzenschutz, 3:3), that in southern Bavaria the disease was epidemic 
in the dry seasons of 1898 and 1899, but scarcely any damage was done 
in the wet season of 1897. 
“Hor the history of Plasmopara cubensis see Bul. 119 of this Station, 
p. 164. 
“ Haisted, B.D. N. dg. Exp. Sta: Bul. 129: 
