The Rich Hill tribune. (Rich Hill, Mo.) 1903-1911, 1904-06-23
PLANT DISEASES COST FARMERS
MILLIONS YEARLY.
BUT VERY FEW CROPS ARE EXEMPT
Potato Blight and Rot the Most sert
ous-corn Smut, Tomato Ret, Gu
eumber Mlldew, Apple Seab, Oats
Rust and Pear Slight Have Con.
tlnusily 10 Be Fought.

issued by tue department OF agricul
ture on Plant Diseases in 1903" Be
sides the mass OF detail regarding
conditions in the United States prop
er. it shows that the coffee lead
blight has accidentally been intro
dueed into Porto Rico. and measures
are being taken to stamp II out Co
Goa in Porto Rico is affected by q
black pod rot, canker and root dis
ease.
The tomato blight has practically
ruined the tomato crop of Porto Rico.
A potato rot has caused the loss OF
nearly the entire potato crop. Beans
and cowpeas are injured by various
fungi. The potato dry rot continues
furious In the Hawaiian islands.
A~nthrachose has been generally
prevalent from North Carolina 10
Georgia, and locally Injurious. espe-
cially & 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 Ala
bama, in connection with root knot
Rust occurred. as usual. on the poorer
soils and was unusually severe in
Texas.
Walnut ~bacteriosis caused heavy
losses in California. The cherry shot.
hole fungus was Injurious in New
Yerk and Pennsylvania and prevailed
in Iowa and Nebraska Crown-gall is
becoming more serious every year as
a nursery pest throughout the coun-
try. The black rot Of grape was more
general in Connecticut and Rhode Is
land, the loss being 80 per cent. The
department is obtaining promising re-
suits in its efforts 10 discover a re-
sistant vine. Strawberry leaf blight
is less prevalent. Diebaek among the
citrous fruit diseases in Florida IS
less destructive than before 1903.
The potato blight and rot caused
widespread destruction, being espe-
cially enormous in New York, Penn
sylyanis, Nor.Aeastern OhIo, Michigan
and Wisconsin. The damage is esti-
mated at $40. 1909. 600 for the season
in New York alone.
Brown rot was again less injurious
in the Eastern states. but was very de-
structive 20 Southern peaches, the
loss amounting TO from 50 10 60 per
cent OF the crop in Georgia. Peach
leaf curl seems to cause immense
losses each year in spite OF the ease
Of controlling II by a single spraying.
In Ohio, In Ottawa county alone, the
loss from peach leaf curl was $4,000.
The losses in Western Pennsylvania
and Western New York was also
heavy.
In Massachusetts, Connecticut and
New York pears and cherries were
much disfgured by sOOty mold, which
followed a serious epidemic OF the
pear psyila and apple louise.
Cucumber downy miIdew caused
large losses in Florida and the truck.
ing section near Charleston. s. c..
where the estimated loss was $780, 600.
II was also unusually destructive In
West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New
York and Michigan.
The bitter o OF apples beer
widespread Injury was reported frou
Rhode Island. Pennsylvania. Mich
gan. Southeastern oh1. West Vir
ginia, Virginia, the CarolinRs ant
Georgia, In Nebraska IL seems to b,
on the increase.
Apple scao was much less inJurioui
Ia New England. New York. Pennsyl
yania aud Michigan than last year
but II seems 10 have been more de
strueuvc in the West. especially Il
Wisconsin. Eastern Nebraska an,
Missouri II Is on the Increase on IN,
Pacific coast. in Montana. Idaho
Washington and California Appl
cAnker or brown rot. was preyalen
la Connecticut. Ohio. New York an.
Michigan. causing must damage. -
pecially 10 neglected orchards. Blac.
heart. a disease affecting the wood q
the apple trees. VAS reported fror
Kansas. Nebraska. Montana and adj
cent states.
b Pear blight Was more than usual
prevalent this rear 30 the East
the South Il is universal. and little e
fort h made 70 control H. In Colorad
IL has spread rapidly. u % reporte
from New Mexico, Twig blight du
20 the same organism. VAS RIO {
3 Connecticut. New York. Ohio. WEI
Virginia and Missouri. There was q
epidemic o. pear leaf blight that q
g foliated trees from Maryland scout
ward.
4 Asparagus rust Is increasing 10 n
4 West and important canning district
e are badly affected Watermelon wi
q Is spreading ln the South and cant
g loupe leaf blight was Injurious, esp
: ciaEy IN the South. the loss IN Flori,
being 40 per ccu Tomato haeter.
viii was found Ia Connecticut and
was serious 10 New Jersey and Star
i land and widespread in the sout