The Monitor-register., 1897-09-03
Second Outbreak of The AsparaSus


During the past spring Byron D. Hal
sted, botanist, at the State Experiment
Station, has been upon the watch for the
rust upon the asparagus that was so very
abundant last autumn. 1t made its ap
pearance as early as the middle of May
upon volunteer plants along roadsides, or
in fields which had been previously in
asparagus. AS this is a new and some
what alarming enemy to the truck
growers of the State, the following
items are published for their especial
benefit.
General appearance of the Field
When an asparagus field is badly in
tested with the rust, the general appear
ance is that of an unreasonable maturing
of the plants. Instead of the usual
healthy green color, the field has a
brownish hue,as if insects had sapped the
plants or frost had destroyed their
vitality.
Close View of the Plants.-Rusted
asparagus plants. when viewed closely,
are found to have the skin of the stems,
both large and small, lifted as if blstered
and in the ruptures of the epidermis
dark brown spots are readily seen.
These brown dots or lines are of various
sizes and shapes, and remind the close
observer of similar spots in the broken
skin of stems of grains and grasses and
of the leaves of corn. also due to rusts,
hut not the same kind as that of the
asparagus
Nature of the Rust.-The asparagus
rust is due to a fungus (PacciniG asparagi
DC } that is a minute plant consisting of
microscopic threads which grow through
the substance of the asparagus plant
&olx !
and finally break through the surface to
bear the inDumerable brown spores that
give the dark color to the spots on the
asparagus stems. This is the last stage
in the development of the rust fungus,
and as such remains over the winter.
When the warm, moist weather of
spring and summer comes, the spores
above mentioned terminate and new
lot Of asparagus plants may become in
tested.
Treatment of Infested Fields There
are two general methods of checking the
rust. namely, by destroying the spores
and by preventing their growing upon
and getting foothold in the substance
of healthy asparagus plants. The rust
fungi are among the most difficult to
check-by protecting the plants they
feed upon-by means of fungicdes,
Bordeaux mixture, ETC., sprayed upon
them during the growing season. While
something may be hoped for with the
spraying pump, the chief ethod of
eradication lies in the destruction of the
many spores. This can be done in very
simple and effective manner by carefully
gathering all the parts of the asparagus
plants that are above ground and burn
ing them. 1t would bs a waste of time
to stack the tops and leave them to
natural decay; and to place them in
manure heaps wonld be still worse. The
only safe thing to do when serious
enemy like this is in the aspa ragus fi5ld
is to burn the plants even to the last
scrap that can be gathered up. Ls5 this
be done at once, for any delay means the
breaking up of the brittle, rusty plants.
and generous sowing of the spores upon
the ground. If the fire could go over the
whole field and burn all the small as
we'll az the large pieces, that would be
the best of all.
This enemy may become very serious
if thorough measures are not taken at
once. and by all who are engaged in
asparagus culture.