Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-06-19
rnh OF BLlsRz.
What the agricultural Experiment.
station Officers say About IL.

What the agricultural ExperiDIcnt
station Officers say About IL.
Special Correspondence OF Gazette and journal
NEWARK, June 1.-THE prevalent and
very peculiar "oat blight" has taken such
a hold on the oat fields around here and
In fact in all parts Of the State that
the GAzETTE's correspondent was led
yesterday to pay visit 10 tho Delaware
College Agricultural Experimental Station
to Learn from the officers there the char
acter, extent and result of the disease.
DR.. A. II. Neale, the director Of the sta-
ton, was found in his Office and answered
quite fully all questions relative to the
disease, aupplementipg what he after
ward said by the statement that as yet
little really definite and conclusive
knowledge of the blight had yet been
obtained.
He said: Professor Chester, our
botaniat, has identified the disease as 0
fungus growth long known in other coun-
tries and possibly in some parts OF the
United States. The fact that 1t has ap-
peared In this State regardless Of the
aource of the seed Gown this year would
] seem to indicate thnt the disease has been
| in the State in the past but has not had
such favorable conditions for develop
mens az this year and last year have af-
forded. Both have bseu particularly
favorable to fungus growth. Causes have
been ascribed by many practical men but
none OF them seems to be altogether orr
rect or sufficient. On good farms
in Red Lion hundred it manifested
itself early and led many to be-
lieve it was caused by acid phos-
phate burning the plant; others believed
late frosts to be the cause of the evil.
Later microscopic examinations however,
show that the leaves of the oat plant are
infested by second plant which has the
power OF absorbing the food which the
0st plant hes developed for it's own use.
Tbs growth OF this parasitic plant destroy
the green coloring meter Of the oat lea,
and when the parasite develops its sees
or spores the leaf becomes covered with
blackish stains and spots which are thu
spores. do not yet know what damag,
will be done but the outlook ia certainly
serious. This plant disease has SO little
manifested itself in this country that itt
proper remedisn are yet to be developed
Prof. Chester, who is conducting very
searching investigation into the blish
after due examination of many growing
oat crops in the State, hesitsted abou,
giving out anything huthoritatively until
his Investigations and experiments had
been completed. Complying, however,
, with the request foE come general in
formation on the subject, the pro'esso.
said ''Ine disease was first called to
my sttention several weeks ago. An ex-
animation showed the oat stock to be
considerably stunted in growth and To
lave upon many apparently dead leaves.
These ere yellow In color and covered
with rather elongated purple and red
| dish spots surrounded by yellow
! borders which continue TO increase
until the whole loaf is yellow,
, This of course stunts the growth Of the
/ leaves and gives them dead appearance.
The fungi have not as yet attacked any.
thing but the leaf, but the oat kerne
J itself may ressibly yet be attacked. This
J peculiar fungus has always been sup.
posed to live upon dead plant life and
i. not upon growing things, as q parasite
but German authorities show this theory
to be wrong. The plan of remedy
3 roughly speaking, will he the infection
r of healthy plants with the spores o.
: germs of the fungus to chow whether tht
i. disease is parasitic or saprophytic in III
: nature. This determined, then othe
( experiments will be made looking TO I
il remedy" II it will in any way console
9 the farmeP to know, the scientific nam
d Of this oAt blight is holmingthosporiun
4 grominiueun.