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Show UTAH BEET CROP ' IS NOW IN DANGER H Eel-Like Worai Has Been Introduced Into the Ogden District and H " la' Warning Is Issued Government Expert Advises Crop H '' Rotation All Crops in Danger Same Plant Disease flk " ' Has Caused European Countries Great Loss.' H Editor Standard: Tho writer had H planned ere tho sonson had really H opened to give a brief statement of HJ impressions" gained during his studies H in this valley during the past season, H in so fnrxs they might be of prneticnl H help to the farmer. He lms been dc- H Ir-yod by the preparation of land for H his experiments for the present sea- H In some respects last year was nh-H nh-H - normal on account of the prolonged H drouth; doubtless this was less favor- H able than usual to many crops and H more, 50 to some diseases, lo which H those crppsi are subject. H As examples of crops which failed H to reach their normal yield and por- H fectlon -may he mentioned potatoes, H tomatoes, watermelons, cantaloupes, H etc.1' In regard to potatoes, it is noted H with pleasure that Prof. Hoganson H has jpst sounded a note of warning. H An examination of a number of po- H tato fields last season revealed to tho H writer the fact that scarcely any. of, H them wero entirely free from the po- H tato wilt. It is true that most of the H - crop was marketable, and, though H smaller than usual, the tubers did noL' H show external signs of disease Hovv- H ever, .on cutting off a small portion of H tho stem end, brownish rings or spots Hl were visible in many df the pqLnlocs H examined. These markings wero H caused bv a species of fungus of tho 1 genus FUSAR1UM. The spoils of H this fungus survive in the soil and, H should potatoes be planted in tho same fl spot the following Season, those Hj spores are ready to attack tho new H crop, perhaps moro seriously than be- H fore. Tho writer would go further H In his warning than Prof. Hoganson 1 has done, and caution the farmer not Hl only against buying small, scrubby. Hj or scabby seed potatoes, but also to H refuse thoso showing traces of the Hl wilt disease, that is, those revoaling H brownish or blackish Tings or spots H when cut across at the stem end. H Such, seed not only fail to yield a Hl heavy, healthy crop, but will further H Infect the soil. Remember that only H the BEST be used for seed. A few H cents a bushel more for good seed H will be many times repaid in yield Hl and quality. H So far as infection of tho soil is Hj concerned, tho same holds truo of the H tomato, watermelon, cantaloupe and H eggplant blight or wilt. Last year a Hl number of, bad cases of watermelon H and cantaloupe wilt were seen. It H v as also learned that in all placos Hl badly attacked these crops had been H grown several years in succession, H thus establishing and augmenting the H disease. Very few tomato fields yicld- H moro or less infected with the wilt Hj fungus, which checked the plants and Hl diminished tho yield. H Sugar beets generally were good, H although tho spring conditions caused f irregular stands. There was little H evidence o disease among them in H this H It is, however, considered oppor- H tune. to mention at this time two. qne- Hj mlcs of tho beet of which very little H has yet been heard in this country. H Those arc: the root-knot nomatodc 1 (HETERODERA RADICICOLA) and t the heel nematode (HETERODERA ' SCHACHTII). These aro mlnuto col- H like worms, too small to be seen by H any but the sharpest eye. They at- ' tack chiefly the small rootlets of the Hj beets, lho on tho pl?nt juices" cause H, the - vessels of tho beet to "hecomo Hi' clogged up, and Anally the leaves to 1 droop, turn brown and die. If scrl- oiiBly infested, tho crowns later rot H, ant fnQ beet succumbs. In the case 1' of the root-knot nematode, swellings H ' and knots are caused on tho rootlets H I and beets. The boot nematode is now H I present in practically all beet grow- H Ing sections of Europe, and has for H many years been the most -serious 1 menace to tho beet industry there. H During, the past winter the writer bus H carefully reviewed tho literature of t Europeion the subject. lie finds that H tno attention of the best scientists 1 and agriculturists of Europe has for H many years been devoted to the prob- j lem of fighting this pest. Chemicals, H catch-orops and Innumerable other Hl methods have been tried, only to dis- 1 , cover that all wero too costly or in- 1 efficacious. Why is this pest men- H tlonod here? It Is known that the H nearly related species, the root-knot H nematode, has already been cstaH- H ; lished in several of the beet districts 9 of this country, and that, while tho I beet nematode, so f,ar as known, is not yof widely spread in the United Staters, it is positive).! known that in some of the older beet districts of California it has rendered hundreds ol acres of valuable ' beet land almost worthless for further beet culture, until the pest shall have been , eradicated. It ib known with equal certainty ihu: this post has already been introduced into several localities in Utah and that THE OGDEN DISTRICT IS ON'E OK THESE LOCALITIES. It Is not positively known how the pest was introduced; it may have been with beet seed or with imported nursen stock. Tho next question is to be able to recognize the picsence of tho pest through Its effects on tho beeus. It first appears In small, sharply defined areas, whence it gradually spreads, oils oi-ls carried from place to place in the soil, adhering to implements, shoes of laboiers, hoofs of horses, etc. About the middle of June to tho beginning of July the outer leaves ot the beets may be observed to droop and lie flat on the ground, later turning turn-ing brown and dying, more leaves become be-come affected and, If seriously infes:-ed infes:-ed with the worm, the crown rots and the whole plant succumbs Should these symptoms be observed, tho writer writ-er would consider it a privilege to be notified, and should he discover the presence of the pest he is preparcl to adlsc immediate measures for combatting it. Is there, then, any successful moth-od moth-od of controlling the scourge9 Yes. After Af-ter many years of experimentation, the Europeans have found the only practical and efficacious ono to bo an intelligent system of crop rotation of five to six years' duration Tho rotation ro-tation of such crops as are known to be not susceptible to attack, such as corn, cowpca, Canada pea, alfalfa, beans, sorghum, potato, celery, asparagus aspar-agus and millet, etc., will hold the pest in chock and at the same time benefit both soil and each crop of the rotation series. Fortunately this long-time rotation system is the best for the control of the wilt diseases heretofore mentioned; mention-ed; it Is a method that any one may apply, is not costly, is good for both soil and crop, and Is really efficacious and practical. The writer is not an alarmist, but would simply put the farmer on his guard. An ounce of prevention Is better bet-ter than n pound of cure. Should any one havo planned to plant again on the same pioce of ground the same kind of crop he had there the preceding season It is strongly advised that ho reconsider his plans and rotate his crops Very truly yours, HARRY B. SHAW", (Signed ) Assistant Pathologist. nr |