New York Agricultural Experiment Station. 475 



In potassium sulphide solution, 1-1000, he made eight cultures, 

 three of which failed to germinate, four germinated poorly and 

 one showed good germination. I made four cultures in this 

 strength solution and obtained no signs of germination. In potas- 

 sium sulphide, 1-2000, he made six cultures, two of which showed 

 no germination, two poor germination and two medium germina- 

 tion. I made eleven cultures in this strength and obtained no 

 germination at all; nor even in cultures made in solutions of 

 1-2500 and 1-3000. I used potassium sulphide from freshly 

 opened packages. Upon exposure to the air it undergoes chem- 

 ical change. This may account for the differences. 



Mr. Stuart's experiments indicate that iron sulphate (copperas) 

 may be a good fungicide against rust. A 1-2000 solution entirely 

 prevented germination. 



Soaking Cuttings in Fungicides. 



Carnations are propagated chiefly by means of cuttings. If 

 these cuttings are taken from plants affected with rust they are 

 likely to contain portions of rust-mycelium which will develop as 

 the carnation develops. The cure of affected plants by means of 

 fungicides, if possible, must at least be a very difficult process for 

 the reason that the mycelium or vegetative portion of the fungus 

 is ensconced within the tissues of the plant where it is inaccessi- 

 ble to fungicides applied externally. 



A plant may be affected with rust and yet not show it. Plants 

 ajjparently in perfect health at the time the cuttings are taken 

 may be affected with rust and transmit it to the cuttings. Hence 

 it can rarely be determined with certainty whether a particular 

 lot of cuttings is rust-free or not. 



For the above-mentioned reasons it is very desirable that some 

 process be devised whereby the rust-mycelium in cuttings may be 

 killed so that the florist maj' be sure that he is starting with 

 healthy stock. It occurred to me that possibly this end might be 

 attained by soaking the cuttings in fungicides. If a freshly-cut 

 stem is placed in a liquid, not too concentrated, the liquid will 

 rise in the stem and penetrate to all parts. Anyone can demon- 



