242 INSECTS, DISEASES AND OTHER PESTS 



breaks i in. to 2 in. above the surface of the soil is much 

 Jess liable to stem rot than a plant breaking just at or 

 slightly below the ground surface. The reason is again 

 obvious. The branches of a plant forking at the surface 

 of the ground are very easily broken off in different ways. 

 They generally break at the base, making a wound, through 

 which fungi can easily enter. The wound is later covered 

 with soil, whereupon it is an easy matter for the fungus 

 Rhizoctonia to enter the exposed tissue and produce stem 

 rot. A large number of plants examined show that in the 

 majority of cases the fungus gains entrance through a wound 

 of this kind. 



(3) Cultivating too deeply and throwing the soil up 

 around the plants also produces a condition quite favor- 

 able to Rhizoctonia. Great care should be exercised not 

 to injure any of the plants with the cultivator. 



(4) If stem rot is present in a Carnation field all 

 dead or wilted plants should be pulled up as soon as noticed 

 and the soil surrounding the plants should be soaked with 

 a fungicide, preferably formaldehyde. It can be applied 

 in the dilution of 1:200. This fungicide is very desirable 

 in this work as it will kill the mycelium of the fungus 

 Rhizoctonia in the ground, and the fumes escaping from 

 the soil quickly do not injure it in any way. Although 

 it is somewhat expensive, it will give returns on the in- 

 vestment for a number of years, for if the fungus is killed 

 the first year, the plants will be free from " stem rot " the 

 second season. 



The most critical point in the life of the Carnation 

 plant is reached when it is transferred from the field to 

 the house. The benching of the plant brings its vitality 

 to the lowest point and makes it very susceptible to dis- 

 ease. The fungus may be brought in on the plant or may 



