154 TWENTY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY REPoRT. 
sulphuric acid injured the plants. It was demonstrated that anthrac- 
nose may be prevented by three to five applications of bordeaux 
mixture, the first being made when the new canes are a few inches 
high and the others at intervals of ten to fourteen days; but it was 
not clear that such treatment is profitable. It may be more profit- 
able to fight anthracnose by adopting a short rotation of crops, the 
use of strictly healthy plants when setting new plantations and the 
removal of the old canes immediately after the fruit is gathered. 
In 1900 a study was made of a curious cane-knot trouble of 
Cuthbert raspberries. The knots were rough, of spongy texture 
and often had a diameter twice that of the normal cane. The knots 
were found to be due to the anthracnose fungus. 
Another raspberry disease to which the Station has given much 
attention is that known as cane blight.1*® This first came to the 
attention of the Station in 1899 during the prosecution of a plant 
disease survey of the Hudson Valley. Although abundant and 
destructive and evidently not new to fruit growers, the disease was, 
nevertheless, entirely unknown to science at that time. - It seems 
strange that so conspicuous and widespread a disease should so 
long have escaped the attention of plant pathologists. In the season 
of 1go00 observations were extended to central and western New 
York where the disease was again found in abundance, and further 
observations made in 1901 and 1Ig02 indicate that it occurs more or 
less abundantly in a majority of the raspberry plantations through- 
out New York State. It also occurs in some other parts of the 
United States. The symptoms of cane blight are the sudden wilting 
and dying of the fruiting canes (either wholly or in part) here and 
there through the plantation. Both red and black varieties are 
attacked and the disease is most severe about the time the fruit is 
ripening. 3 
A thorough study was made of cane blight and its treatment. It 
was proven that the cause of the disease is a parasitic fungus 
(Coniothyrium sp.) which attacks the cane at some point, killing and 
discoloring the bark and wood thereby causing the death of the 
parts above. The fungus is disseminated by means of infected 
nursery stock; by wind, rain and washing of the soil; and in pick- 
ing, pruning and laying down the canes. No definite and effective 
™ Bul. 191:328 (1900); same in Rpt. 19:206. 
"° Bul. 167:305-307 (1899); same in Rpt. 18:214-216. 
Bul. 191:330 (1900); same in Rpt. 19:208. 
Bul. 226:331-362 (1902); same in Rpt. 21:105-136. 
