The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1889-09-14

The Melon Disease.
The fungus disease, about the true
character of which so little is yet
known, and which attacks cucumbers,
melons and squashes, has become 90
common and destructive all over the
whole extent of the country. that the
cultivation OF vine fruits in many
places Is almost entirely abandoned.
The attack appears to como suddenly
and unexpectedly. The thrifty grow
ing plant all at once begins to wilt,
straightens up again at night or during
the cloudy weather. but within few
days dies down and burns up. ThA
generally happens on hot days. show
ing that the fungus in its needs and
mode of propagation resembles the
black-rot fungus OF the grape-a re-
semblance giving US tho clew to the
means of fighting it.
The disease has often been confound'
ed with the work OF a squash borer or
other insects. The most superficial
examination OF the root could hardly
fail to reveal the cause when the borer
is destroying the plant. and the evil
consequences in that case may often be
averted by covering the first joints of
the running vines with soil in order to
induce them to strike root there, and
make the plant independent of the
original root. The fungus attacks the
leaves first, and kills the part above
ground, while leaving the root intact.
Some one now comes with an infal-
lible remedy; covering the vines with
elderberry leaves or twigs. The elder.
berry as such would not harm flea.
And yet 1t is not at all unlikely that
the discoverer of this new preventive
measure has been entirely successful
in saving his plants. not especially by
any thing characteristic to the elder
berry, but by the mechanical protec
tion of providing a cover. 1t will be
remembered that grape vines growing
under q coping are exempt from rot
attacks, and that even tho slight
est covering or protection above
greatly prevents all danger, or
at least lessons the amount oil
injury. We are quite sure that the
melon disease presents an analogous
case, for we have never learned OF q
single case of vines under glass having
been attacked by the fungus. Any
covering no doubt, will prove a pre-
ventive. elderberry leaves, .r boards
cloth. etc.
Our own experience with remedies
and preventives has given us results
upon which definite and final conclu.
sions might be based. It has seemed
to US, however, that the free applica-
ton of copperas and saltpeter water to
the soil around the plants has lessened
the attacks without giving us entire
exemption. We have found, also that
sulphate of copper in any form
Is not q remedy, but ii
effectual. must be used as a preventive,
in the same way as it is used for mill
dew and rot of grapes. The specialist
of the Department Of Agriculture,
who, during the past season has visited
the localities along the Atlantic coast,
where the disease seems to be most
epidemic, we believe, has come to sim.
liar conclusions. We hope that our
readers living where the disease Is a
common annual occurrence, will give
the copper remedies, especially the
Bordeaux mixture. thorough trial,
and report results. But this is pre-
yentive only. and should be applied
before the vines are attacked. -Popu.
lar Gardening.