St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-10-04
Prof. Luger Makes an Ex-.
haustive Investigation
Of Flax Disease.
An Evil Which Threatens the
determination of Flax
Culture.
How the Disease Appears and
in What Manner 1t Affects
the Plants.
Experiments Fail to Indicate
How Disaster Can Be
Evaded.

A very long report was made yester.
day to the governor by Prof. Otto Lug
ger, entomologist of the state expert
mental farm, on the subject of the fax
disease in Southern Minnesota. Last
May number of citizens in the south.
ern part of the state sent a request to
the governor, asking that an inquiry be
made into the cause of the flax disease
and what steps could be taken in RENE.
dying the evil. The governor referred
the matter to Mr.. Lugger.
In the opening pages of his report
Mr.. Lugger dwells upon the growth OF
the flax industry in the southern part OF
the state, which is steadily increas-
ing, owing to the general failure
OF the wheat crops. During the last
five years the flax industry has suffered
greatly in many regions, owing to a
mysterious disease of the plants, and
grave fears are entertained for the fut-
ure OF flax culture. In accordance with
the desire of the farmers, MIR. Luggel
was appointed by the governor to in.
vestlgate the matter. In May he pro.
ceeded to Window, and rented some
land badly infected with the disease,
securing the cooperation of resident
farmer, E. j. Meilicke. Several prac-
teal methods to Investigate the trouble
presented themselves. One, based upon
the assumption that exhaustion of the
soil by previous crops of flax was the
cause of failure, led to the first
series of experiments. Another, that a
specific disease caused the death of the
plants, led to a second series. The re-
suits OF both series of experiments
proved, beyond doubt, nothing very
practical can at present be advised to
prevent losses.
But during these two series of EXPERT
ments many facts were observed which,
together with other observations made
last year. indicated the real cause of the
lax trouble, and necessitated third
series OF experiments which are now
partly finished. Still. it will be neces-
Sary TO continue the experiments. not
IN the field, but in the laboratory, where
all the surrounding conditions can be
observed or kept under control. This
Will take some time, as each EXPERT
ment requires about three months TO con-
clude. The report is a preliminary one,
therefore, and only the leading facts, as
Learned by Field Experiments.
are given. The land selected for the
experiments was well adapted for the
purpose. LII 1883 good crop was pro-
duced upon it, but in 1889 eyery plant
of flax had been killed.
series OF experiments to observe eff
fects of fertilizers upon land exhausted
by flax:
The plots, one-sixteenth of an acre i'm
size. extended in one continuous row
from east to west. Every third plot
was left untreated, so as to make com
parison with the adjoining plots, which
were treated with fertilizers. Between
the plots was left passage three feet
wide: Two adjoining plots were de-
voted to experiments with the same fer
tilizers, only with this difference,
one. plat was seeded with flax
seed grown upon the farm
or suspicious seed, the other with i'm
ported faX seed from regions free from
disease. The fertilizers used were lime
and phosphates, muriate phosphates,
salt, nitrate of soda, superphosphate.
land plaster and ground oilcake. The
seeds on all the plots terminated in due
time. whether fertiliZed or not, and the
young plants soon coated the surface
with their beautiful leaves. But be-
fore long they commenced to shriyel
up, and all disappeared before reaching
height of three inches. The plants
fertilized with ground oil cake died
first. These experiments plainly indi-
cate that exhaustion of the soil by pre-
vious crops of flax cannot be the cause
OF the disease, as all the materials re-
moved by the plants at that time had
been added again to the soil in the most
soluble state. The uniformity with which
all the plants became diseased in the
plots was very remarkable.
The second SERIES of experiments was
to observe the effect of fungicides on