The San Juan County index. (Aztec, N.M.) 1890-19??, 1899-08-04
written for rur INDEX.

Written for rHE INDEX.
The bacterial blight which has
recently attacked the tomato crop Of
this county is a disease that has bai.
fled not only the manyfarmers whose
crops have been injured by its effects.
BUS the most able and we'll posted
plant phyeiologiats Of the county
who have as yet discovered no means
Of curing tho affected plants.
In addition 70 many others, there
are two diseases 20 whieh the tomato
is subject and with which We have
to DEAL both OF which are rightly
included under the general and som
mon term Of "blight." III the one
case we have the bacterial blight
which ia caused by the presence Of
bacteria in the tissues Of the plant
and for which there is apparently
no remedy IL ihe other ease We
have the fungus blight which ia due
to the presence Of fungi in the plant
tissue and for the prevention Of
which we 6nd many remedies recon.
mended that are within the reach Of
almost everyone. The symptoms Of
both diseases are somewhat similar
and it is only by close observation
that the ordinary gardener viii dstect
the difference.
In the case Of the bacterial blight
the leaves Of an apparently healthy
plant will gradually turn over and
curl up, exposing their surface to
the sun. BY careful examination Of
these leaves a purplish cOior will be
noticed in the veins and midribs. The
plant does not droOp and wilt at FIRST
but the leaves remain full Of moisture
! and stand erect for several days, then
I a yellowiah coler appears, on the
leaEeq of the terminal shoots. This
color gradually becomes diffused
throughout the entire plant and the
leaves then begin to show signs Of
whiting, the main stem and branches
Of the plant standing erect and in
place until the plant is nearing its
last stages, when they dry and shrivel
and the whole plant dies.
III the case Of the fungus blight a
single leaf, branch or part Of branch
may be found dropping as II for want
Of moisture, and in some instances
will partially revive Immediately after
a rain or an irrigation, bat will con-
tinue to IlroOp again az the disease
becomes more and more severe. In
the case OF the latter disease we find
several remedies recommended that
have by actual tests proven to be
effectual, but although possible and
even practicable, it is not probable
the tomato growers Of this section
will care to resort to the application
Of chemical fungieides for the pur-
pose OF saving their tomato crop. but
should some desire TO undertake 5ueh
preeautional measures it probably
would not be out Of place here to
mention the fact that a fungicide il
not a remedy in the strict sense Of the
word but merely a preventive and
4 gnosg apEiyiug ihain su0lla so 81
0nly with the view Of protecting the
still healthy plants and not in reviv-
ing the already blighted ones. One
Of the precautionary measures which
every fnrmer or tomato grower shodld
take III hand, however, is the early
and complete removal Of all diseased
vines from the field These should
be placed where when dry they can
be burned to destroy the germs.
At seme Of the experimental sta.
items where they have a more com.
pleta control over the disease than
We, the fact has been proven that the
bacterial disease is disseminated