New York Aguioultural Experiment Station. 493 



florists responded — one from Texas, one from Kentucky, one from 

 Ohio and one from Massachusetts. All claimed to have seen 

 rust on Wm. Scott; but upon inquiry I learned that the gentle- 

 man in Texas and also the one in Kentucky did not know the 

 rust. Their plants were affected with some other disease. • The 

 correspondents in Ohio and Massachusetts, however, still main- 

 tain that they know rust and are positive that they have seen 

 it on Wm. Scott. But whatever the truth of this matter may be 

 the fact remains that the variety Wm. Scott is remarkably resis- 

 tant to rust. It is not uncommon for fungi to show a preference 

 for certain varieties of their host-plant, but this character is 

 rarely so strongly marked as in the present case. 



Some of the varieties much subject to rust are Uucle John, 

 Daybreak, Silver Spray and Jaqueminot. Of these, Uncle John 

 is by far the worst. I predict a short life for this variety 

 simply because of its extreme susceptibility to rust. 



Wherein lies the reason for the difference in susceptibility of 

 varieties is not at present clear. I suspect that there is consider- 

 able truth in Mr. Dorner's* theory that varieties possessing 

 " bloom " on the foliage are more resistant to rust because the 

 " bloom," being of an oily nature, prevents the accumulation of 

 water on the foliage and hence favorable conditions for the ger- 

 mination of rust spores are not afforded. Comparative anatomi- 

 cal studies may throw some light ujjon the subject. I hope to be 

 able in the near future to make such studies and also make fur- 

 ther inquiry into the whole subject of rust-resistant varieties. 



Making Experiments. 



It is the business of the Experiment Stations to conduct expei-i- 

 ments for the pyrpose of learning the nature and habits of fungi 

 and of determining the value of fungicides, but there is no objec- 

 tion whatever to florists conducting experiments of their own. 

 It is earnestly recommended that florists make experiments with 

 different fungicides for carnation rust, and ])ublish their results 

 in the trade papers or elsewhere. But let the experiments bo 

 experiments, proi)erly ]>lanned and faithfully carried out and the 

 results accurately recorded and correctly reported. If all of those 



♦ Dorner, Fmi . Am. Florist, Vol. XT., p. 330, 



