DISEASES OF THE CARNATION 91 



enemy to the Carnation when it is grown under glass. 

 Its presence is detected by the leaves turning to a 

 sickly greenish-yellow colour, which means that they 

 soon lose their vigour. The insect is very small, 

 almost microscopical, and the best way is to syringe 

 the leaves well before much damage has taken place. 

 It appears on the undersides of the leaves first, but 

 soon swarms over them. 



FUNGOID DISEASES 



One of the most formidable of these is called 

 RUST, the proper name of which is Helminthosporium 

 echinulatum. Mr. Douglas writes me : " The appear- 

 ance of the fungus when it is first seen on the leaves 

 is something like a blister. This is caused by the 

 development of the fungus between the membranes 

 of the leaves. Presently it will burst through the 

 membrane, and the coffee-coloured spores are widely 

 scattered. Now it is evident that no application of 

 any fungus-destroying mixture can reach it before it 

 bursts out, and after the powder is scattered it is too 

 late. The only real remedy is to look over the plants 

 at least once a week, cut off all diseased leaves care- 

 fully, and burn them at once." Mr. Saunders writing 

 of Carnations and the fungi which attack them, says : 

 "The leaves of these favourite flowers are liable to 

 the attacks of two or three different kinds of fungi. 

 Cutting off the diseased leaves and spraying the plants 

 afterwards with Bordeaux mixture of sulphide of 

 potassium every ten days until there is no more sign 



