156 , Report oF THE BOTANIST OF THE 
the soil appeared to be absolutely uniform. However, it should 
be stated that the blight was most severe along one margin of the 
field where the ground began to rise a little. The owner of this 
field stated that early in the season there came heavy rains, which 
prevented cultivation for a few days. In the meantime the plants 
became so large that it was decided not to cultivate them any more. 
The drought then began. The soil became hard and cracked and 
consequently parted with its moisture more rapidly that it would 
if it had been cultivated after the rains as were other fields in the 
neighborhood. The loss of water was still further accelerated by 
the unusually luxuriant growth of leaves, which was the result of a 
high state of fertility of the soil. 
At the time of our first visit to this field, August 29, it was 
observed that many of the affected plants had thrown out new 
leaves at the center of the crown. We thought this to be the 
result of a light shower* which fell August 27, and predicted that 
growth would very soon be checked unless more rain fell. 
We were accordingly surprised to find upon our second visit, 
September 12, that the blight had made no progress. On the 
contrary, most of the affected plants were putting out young 
leaves at the crown. (See Plate VII.) On many plants an 
entirely new crops of foliage had appeared during the previous 
two weeks. Plants which were apparently dead two weeks 
before were now green with a crown of new leaves; and this in 
spite of the fact that there had been no rain worth mentioning® 
since our former visit. All other affected fields showed similar 
improvement. <A few of the worst affected plants were dead, but 
the majority were making a second growth. It now became evi- 
dent that this beet blight was not a gradual drying of the foliage 
2 At Penn Yan, .36 inch; at Geneva, .26 inch. 
3 The actual precipitation was as follows: 
At Penn Yan. Sept. 1, 1.07 in.; Sept. 3, trace; Sept. 5, trace; Sept. 8, .23 
in.; Sept. 11, .09 in. 
At Geneva. Sept. 1, .10 in.; Sept. 2, trace; Sept. 5, trace; Sept. 8, .07 in.; 
Sept. 11, .04 in. 
