Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-08-27
FIND WAY TO CURE
PLANT DISEASES
U. of Del. Experts Help Farmers
of State to Solve Their
Problems.

The Department of Plant Pathology
of the University of Delaware viii
have an exhibit at the Delaware State
Fair, on the important diseases of
| agricultural crops grown in Delaware.
In various sections of the State ex-
periments and demonstrations are be-
ing conducted on the disease control
Of corn, sweet potatoes. cantaloupes.
watermelons. white potatoes, grapes.
apples and peaches. The Importance
OF this work is TO acquaint the grow
ers with the practical value of dis
case control as a means Of increasing
their marketable yield of crops.
During the past ten years special
study has been made of sweet potato
diseases by members of the depart
ment. As the result OF the investiga-
tions and the practice of their recon-
mendations. it is shown that the pro-
duction of marketable sweet potatoes
has been tripled. Particular atten-
ton has been given this past year
to the root. stalk and ear rot diseases
of corn. Ii was discovered that the
disease is carried in the seed but will
not respond TO seed treatment such as
used for loose smut of oats and stink
ing smut OF wheat. \ means of elm
mating the diseaser ears was de-
veloped by the use of the modified
rag doll germinator. BY the careful
testing of a sample of seed from each
ear of seed corn. the weak and dis
eased ears can be eliminated or
''culled' out. This procedure is fully
discussed in a recent bulletin pub
lished by the agricultural experiment
station. The planting of diseased ears
means to Is per cent more missing
plants which materially reduced the
yield
The department. will have on dis
play numerous charts on the diseases
and the control of various crops
These can be secured free of charge
by writing the department of plant
pathologs. Specimens showing the
various diseases of economic crops
Will also be displayed.
Soy Bean Exhibit
The Department of Agronomy will
have an educational exhibit of soy
beans. The soy bean as an agricuI-
tural product was first introduced
into this State about 1907. The ex-
hibit will contain many varieties rec
commended for seeding here. some of
which are Wilson. Tor seed or hay.
Wilson Y for seed or hay. Cloud for
hay and Mammoth for green manure
Seven years work on fertilizers in
connection with soy beans has also
ben completed at the experiment sta
ton and the results will be shown
graphically at the exhibit
The soy bean forms nodules on the
roots and the bacteria in those nod
ules gather nitrogen, very import.
ant fertilizer element. from the air
and makes available for plant
growth. The department win have
an exhibit of these nodules as wei as
nodules. from other such plants.
The soy bean makes good hav and
an exhibit of some cut out for hav
will be shown as well as some sown
with sudan grass and COW peas. Sudan
grass and soy beans soyvn together
promises TO make a very good hav
The beans sown at the rate
OF 80 pounds per acre and the sudan /
grass 20 pounds per acre. The feed I
ing analysis -of such a mixture Is
about 80 per cent dry matter, per
cent protein. per cent carbohv-
drates and IL per cent fat.