124 REPORT OF THE BOTANIST OF THR 
money crop, by its attacks, not-only in this State but also in 
other sections of this country, convinced us that it was necessary 
to determine definitely whether there could not be found some 
method or combination of methods by which this trouble can be 
controlled. It was also desirable to determine whether such 
methods could be put to practical use by the growers of aspara- 
gus. Some practical results have already been obtained and, as 
delay means additional loss each year to growers, the following 
preliminary report on the work is given. 
HISTORY AND DISTRIBUTION OF THE RUST. 
Asparagus rust has been known in Europe for nearly one hun- 
dred years, although English writers on asparagus culture do not 
mention its occurrence in that country until about 1876. Barnes 
and Robinson’ state that its attacks on the part above ground 
have an unfavorable effect on the roots, checking their develop- 
ment. This causes a material reduction of the yield the succeed- 
ing spring owing to the premature ripening of many of the plants. 
Although the above writers were not positive regarding the 
nature of the disease, they were sure of its dangerous character 
and recommended that growers be careful to prevent its spread 
or its importation into districts that were free from it. 
Although asparagus growers on Long Island and in the vicinity 
of Cape Cod believe they saw the effects of the asparagus rust 
in their fiel’ 3 as early as 1895, it was practically unknown in this 
country until 1896. In that year Dr. Halsted? announced the 
occurrence of an outbreak of the asparagus rust in New Jersey. 
This announcement led to the discovery that the disease was 
already established in the asparagus fields of Delaware, Long 
Island and New England. Since 1896 it has been very destruc- 
tive in these localities and has spread south into the Carolinas 
and west to Kansas, Iowa and Wisconsin. 

*Asparagus Culture, p. 22. 
*Halsted, B. D. An Outbreak of Asparagus Rust. N. J. Agr. Exp. 
Stas., Circular, Sept. 18, 1896. 
