The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1904-07-01
Fl ANT \, ]. /. DISEASES.
iRavages OF Insect Pests increasing
Rapidly IN the United States,

igCouulSsS pistbss5 Sile.II1eSI tnEoISaa1oAs
| the country is revealed by a report
| issued by the Department of Agri-
culture ca plant diseases in 1908.
Apple scab was much less injurious
| in New England. New York, Pennsyl-
vania and Michigan than last year,
out it seems to have been more de-
structive in the West, especially in
| Wisconsin, eastern Nebraska and Mis-
souri,. 1t is on the increase on the
Pacific coast, in Montana, Idaho, and
California. Apple canlSer or brown
Ohio, Pennsylvania and Michigan,
causing much damage, especially in
neglected orchards. Black heart. a
disease affecting the wood of apple
trees, was reported from Montana,
Nebraska, Iowa. Kansas and adjacent
States.
Pear blight was more than unusual
lS prevalent this year in the East.
In the South it is universal and little
effort is being made to control it In
Colorado it has spread rapidly. II
is reported from New Mexico. Twig
blight. due to the same organism, was
SSii'N> oi1 sAPpieS AZ N-otil4SSh4Sut- ~"
York, Ohio. West Virginia and Wis
consin, but was less prevalent in Mis-
souri,.
Besides the mass of detail regard
ing conditions iii the United States
proper, it shows that the coffee aeat
blight has accidentally been introduc-
ed into Porto Rico and that measures
are being taken to stamp it out. Co.
Goa in Porto Rico is affected by
black pod rot, canker and rot dis
cases. Tomato blight has practically
ruined the tomato crop of Porto Rico.
A potato rot has caused the loss of
nearly the entire potato crop Orange
scab has caused considerable damage
in the Bayamon district. Beans and
COW peas are injured by various fungi.
Potato dry rot continues injurious
in the Hawaiian islands.
The cotton root rot in Texas pre-
vailed to greater extent than for
many years, the loss being estimated
at about s2,o0o,OO0. The anthraonose
has been generally prevalent from
North Carolina to Georgia and locally |
injurious, especially to sea island cot
ton in south Georgia.
Wilt continues to spread slowly and !
nov occurs in limited areas in North
Carolina and South Carolina, and is
widely prevalent in south Georgia and
Alabama in connection
with root knot. Rust occurred as
usual on the poorer soils and was unu-
sually severe in Texas.
The potato blight and rot caused
destruction, being espe-
cially enormous in New York, Penn
syivania, northern Ohio, Michigan and
at $4,000, 900 for the season in New
York alone. Walnut bacteriorosis
caused heavy loss in Canada. The
cherry shot hole fungus is damaged in
Iew York and Pennsylvania, and pre-
Tailed destructively in Iowa and Ne
,raska. Grown gall is becoming more
erious every year as a nursery pest
throughout the country. The black rot
# grape was more general in Con-
lecticut and Rhode Island. the loss
eing 40 per cent. The Department is
obtaining promising results In its eff
orts to discover resistant vine.
ant. Die back among the citrus
ruit diseases in Florida is less de-
tructive than before 1908. Corn
nut caused heavy loss in Maryland
nd was common in New York. Corn {
eaf blight was general in Connect J
ut, Delaware, Eastern Pennsylvania I
nd New Jersey. Alfalfa rust was
revalent in Ohio and rice blast in :
he Cooper river section Of South :
arolina, where the crop was over L
30 900 bushels short. The loss from L
lie spread of this disease in the past l.
X years is estimated at $1,OO0,O00. L
sparaSuS rust is increasing in the e
asst, and important canning interests
e badly affected. Watermelon wilt j
spreading in the South and canta b
upe leaf blight was injurious, espe- T.
ally il the South, the loss in Florida 0
eng 40 per cent. Tomato bacterial r.
lit was found in Connecticut and it n
as serious in New Jersey and Mary p
nd and widespread in the South a
he fusarium wilt in Florida caused II
loss of 100000, and large areas re
land also has to be thrown out of
ltivations Cucumber downy mildew le