A newspaper's investigation. 169 



he purchased a tract of land and began the culture of 

 flowers and trees. In a business way he was successful. 

 The trees he planted and cultivated were shipped to 

 California, Arizona, Lower California, Mexico, and 

 other Western States andTerritories, where they stand as 

 monuments of his industry. The tract of land he ori- 

 ginally bought was irrigated and became like a garden. 

 By this time Mr. Radam was wealthy. He was one of 

 the leading florists and nurserymen of the great West, 

 and his name was known throughout the East, where 

 he was recognized for his skill in buying seeds and 

 plants for his nursery. But a shadow rested upon Mr. 

 Radam. He could see his bank deposits increasing 

 daily, but he could also feel his health leaving, his mus- 

 cles weakening. To the original attack of malaria had 

 been added rheumatism, then catarrh, and finally the 

 dreaded consumption. For seventeen years he had em- 

 ployed physicians. Perhaps they slightly retarded his 

 diseases, perhaps they accelerated them. At any rate, 

 Mr. Radam found himself seven years ago on the thresh- 

 old of death. With feeble steps he could still wander 

 among the flowers he loved, but he knew that he could 

 only live a short time. Yet in this condition he was on 

 the verge of a great discovery. 



In his long career as a florist Mr. Radam's great suc- 

 cess had been brought about by his ability in preserving 

 his plants from disease. When a plant or stalk began 

 to look sickly he looked for some cause and always 

 found it. His discoveries in this line were worth record- 

 ing in science. 



There are many fungi or plant microbes in the green- 

 house. Every gardener knows that. Some kinds are so 

 numerous that they can be seen in little bunches upon 

 the sides of plants or upon the ground around them. 

 There is a sickness of the rose called the black rust, the 

 symptoms of which are black spots on the leaves, and 

 these spots grow larger and larger until the whole leaf 

 turns black. This is the second stage. The third stage 

 soon follows, in which the leaves turn yellow and finally 

 drop off. 



