Book excerpt: This Handbook supersedes Department bulletin 1366, "A check list of diseases of economic plants in the United States," issued in 1926. It replaces the processed report, "Index of Plant Diseases in the United States," issued in six parts, from 1950 to 1953. The Handbook does not constitute a revision of the "Index," issued from 1950 to 1953. There are no real changes in content. Condensation of the introductory explanation, and some minor changes, mainly in the host descriptions, to permit better arrangement of the printed page, are the most conspicuous differences from the original "Index."