The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1904-08-26
ENEMIES TO PLANT LIFE.
WORK OF THE VARIOUS eLlGHTs
IN THE UNITED STATES.


Great Damage Wrought by Potato ROT
Losses in FIorda-5rown Rot
Destroyed Peaches--Root Feeding
Insects Busy.
The destruction wrought on crops by
countless plant enemies throughout
the country is revealed by a report
issued by the department OF asrlcul-
ture on plant Diseases in 1903" Be-
sides the mass of detail regarding
conditions in the United states 1t
shows that the coffee leaf blight mas
accidentally been introduced into Por-
to Rico, and measures are being taken
to stamp it out Cocoa in Porto RICO
is affected by a black pod rot canker
and root disease The tomato blight
has practically ruined the tomato crop
of Porto Rico A potato root rot has
caused the loss of nearly the entlre
potato crop.
Orange scab has caused considerable
damage in the Bayamon district.
Beans and cowpeas are injured by va
IlouS luHSI, Inc pOIdIO uiJ ~
tinues injurious in the Hawaiian
islands. The Gotten root in Texas pre-
vailed to a greater extent than Tor
many years, the loss being estimated
at about 100000.
Anthracnose has been generally
prevalent from North Carolina to
Georgia, and locally injurious, especial
ly to Sea island cotton in South
Georgia Wilt continues to spread
slowly, and now occurs in limited areas
in North Carolina and South Carolina,
and is widely prevalent in South
Georgia and Southeastern Alabama, IN
connection with root knot Rust &C.
Cured as usual on the poorer SOILS,
and was unusually severe in Texas.
The potato blight and rot caused
widespread destruction, being es-
pecially enormous in New York, Penn
sylvania, Northeastern Ohio, Michigan
and Wisconsin. The damage is esti-
mated at $10,000,000 for the season
| in New York alone. Walnut bacteria
sis caused heavy losses in California.
The cherry shothole fungus was lnJu-
rious in New York and Pennsylvania,
and prevailed destructively in Iowa
and Nebraska. Crown gall is becom-
ing more serious every year as nur-
sery pest throughout the country. The
black rot of grape was more general In
Connecticut and Rhode Island, the
loss being 40 percent.
The department is obtaining prom
Using results in it's effort to discover
a resistant vine. Strawberry leaf
blight is less prevalent. Die back
among the citrous fruit diseases in
Florida is less destructive than be-
fore 1903 Corn smut caused heavy
loss in Maryland, and was common in
New York. Corn leaf blight was gen.
eral in Connecticut, Delaware, Eastern
Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Alfalfa
rust prevailed in Ohio, and rice blast
in the Cooper river section of. South
Carolina, where the crop was more
than 100000 bushels short. The loss
from the spread of this disease in the
last six years is estimated at $1,000,0O0
Asparagus rust is increasing in the
west, and important canning district;
are badly affected.
Watermelon wilt is spreading in thu
south, and cantaloupe leaf blight wa
Injurious, especially in the south, thu
loss in Florida being 40 percent. To
mato bacterial wilt was found Il
Connecticut, and it was Serious il
New Jersey and Maryland, and wide
spread in the south. The fusariur
wilt in Florida caused loss of $500,
600, and large areas Of land also ha
to be thrown out of cultivation.
Cucumber downy mildew cause
large losses in Florida and the truck
ing section near Charleston, S, G
where the estimated loss was $100,00C
, 1t was also unusually destructive i
West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ne
York and Michigan. The bitter roc
of apples has been widespread. Injur
was reported from Rhode Island, Penn
, sylvania, Michigan, Scutheaster
Ohio. West Virginia. Virginia, tn
Carolinas and Georgia In Nebrask
it seems to be on the increase.
Apple scab was much less injuriol
in New England, New York, Pennsy
vania and Michigan than last yea
but it seems to have been more d
: structive in the west especially
Y Wisconsin, Eastern Nebraska, and Mi
n souri,. 1t is on the increase on Il
d Pacific coast, in Montana, Idaho, Was
e ington and California. Apple canke
f or brown rot, was prevalent in Co
b necticut, Ohio, New York and Mich
C gan, causing much damage, especial