Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-06-14
Department of Agriculture Is
sues a Report on Plant
Diseases In 1903
BOIL wEEvlL THE GREAT PEST
II Is Stamped as the Most Important
Insect Of the Present Time-Dspre
datons of the Various Enemies of
Fruit Trees-Potato Blight and Rot
Does Much Damage.

w
ton wrought on crops by countless
plant enemies thruout the country is
revealed by report issued by the de-
partment of agriculture on plant dis
eases in 1908 /.
The potato blight and rot caused
widespread destruction, being especial
~ enormous in New York, Pennsylva-
mia, northeastern Ohio, Michigan and
Wisconsin. The damage is estimated
at s100O0000 for the season in New
York alone.
Walnut bacteriorosis caused heavy
losses in Canifornia.
The cherry shothole fungus prevailed
destructively in Iowa and Nebraska.
Crown gall is becoming more serious
every year as nursery pest thruout
the country.
The black rot of grapes was more
general in Connecticut and Rhode
Island. the loss being 40 per cent. The
department is obtaining promising re-
suits in it's efforts to discover re-
sistant vine.
Corn smut caused heavy loss in
Maryland, and was common in New
York. Corn leaf blight was general in
Connecticut, Delaware, eastern Penn
sylvania and New Jersey.
Alfalfa rust is rife in Ohio and rice
blight in the Cooper river section or
South Carolina. where the crop was
over 100000 bushels short. The loss
from the spread Of this disease In the
past six wears is estimated at $1,000
600.
Asparagus rust is increasing in the
east, and important canning districts
are badly affected.
Tomato bacterial wilt was found in
Connecticut, and it was serious In New
Jersey and Maryland and widespread In
the south.
Cucumber downy mildew caused
large losses in Florida and the trucking
section near Charleston. S. c.. where
the estimated loss was 100000, and
was also unusually destructive in West
Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York and
Michigan.
Enemies of Fruit Trees.
Apple scab was much less injurious
in New England, New York, Pennsyl-
vania and Michigan than last year, but
it seems to have been more destructive
in the west, especially in Wisconsin.
eastern Nebraska and Missouri. 1t is
on the increase on the Pacific coast. in
Montana, Idaho, Washington and Cali
fornia.
Apple canker or brown rot was prev
aIent in Connecticut, Ohio. New York
and Michigan. causing much damage,
especially in neglected orchards.
Black heart, disease affecting the
wood of apple trees, was reported from
Montana, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas and
adjacent states.
Pear blight was more than usually
prevalent this year in the east. In the
south it is universal and little effort is
made to control it. In Colorado it has
spread rapidly. 1t Is reported from
New Mexico.
Twig blight, due to the same organ
ism. was serious on apples in Connect
icut. New York. Ohio, West Virginia
and wisconsin, but less prevalent in
Missouri
Peach leaf curl seems to cause i'm
mense losses each year in spite of the
ease Of controlling by a single spraying.
The department in a report on the
principal injurious insects of 1903 says
the calendar year showed smaller losses
than in many years.
Boil Weevil the Great Pest.
Certain pests caused great injury in
limited localities, and several new in
sect enemies of crops were discovered.
The Mexican cotton boil wevil. which
has spread into Louisiana, is stamped
as the most important insect pest Of
the present time.
The San Jose scale and the coddling
moth have engaged the attention OF
many ecoaelric workers, ana there is
!, i.oss.o ,:ty of lessening of damage
ir few ...ars.
There were local outbreaks, usually
co-extensive of the Hessian fly, chinch
bug and of grasshoppers, locusts, cut
worms, and army worms.
Root feeding species. such as weas-
ell grubs, root Nuggets and root lice,
were rampant over aconsiderable terri
tory. The cabbage and onion maggots
were particularly destructive. The two
cucumber beetles, orchard scale insects
in general and a few similar pests
were normally troublesome. Bill bugs
did little damage, which is true of the
bean and pea weevils. Shade tree de-
foliators were only locally abundant.
The gypsy and brown tail moths have
both enlarged their territory, the latter
having become destructive in New
Hampshire. OF insects injurious to
stored products there has been a decld-
ed increase especially of the cigarette
and flour beetles. Several species of in
sects as a rule most destructive in the
south, but which have until recently
been very troublesome northward, have
nearly died out in the north in past
years. the list including the harlequin
cabbage bug, cabbage looper, corn stalk
borers, fall army worms and others.
This however, cannot be said of all
localities.