98 



3. Spraying seems rather out of place in an ornamental garden, and 

 will probably be resorted to only as an extreme measure, as when it 

 becomes necessary to revive a neglected garden that has become 

 overrun with pests. Most roses will stand Bordeaux Mixture of full 

 strength, and all will stand it in its weaker forms, and in either 

 strength it is a valuable agent with which to combat either this disease 

 or the Star-shaped Leaf Spot. In those parts of the State where the 

 leaves fall in winter some form of winter treatment may be recom- 

 mended, as that is the time of the year at which the greatest good can 

 be accomplished with the least expenditure of energy. If the plants 

 be pruned in winter and sprayed well right down to the roots, and the 

 ground round about be dug up slightly, and some of the spraying 

 mixture be applied to it also, the results will be very beneficial. Strong 

 Bordeaux Mixture may be used for this purpose. Whitewash will be 

 found fairly efficient on leafless plants ; lime, sulphur and salt mixture 

 even more so. 



4. There can be no doubt that the rose plant has the power when in 

 the best of health to resist somewhat the attacks of the disease, in fact, 

 this is one of the most important features of the whole matter, and it 

 points to the advisability of securing well-drained soil containing a 

 good quantity of the right kind of plant food. As to the soil it may 

 be said that, with the exception of a very loose and sandy soil, almost 

 any kind will answer. If, therefore, the growth of the rose-bush is 



not vigorous, thought should be given 

 first to the surrounding conditions with 

 the idea of finding out whether they can 

 be so improved as to give a more vigorous 

 growth. Above all the rose is a lover of 

 a1d'Sra! V a e t o n a c"e d plenty of air and sunlight and will not 

 it win be noted that these spores are (J o its best where there is a lack ot either. 



smaller than those produced in a m , .-, , -. -. , -j-i -i. t 



water-culture shown in Fig. m. The ideal rosebush stands by itself in a 



sunny and airy place. Though no ground 



is too poor to produce some sort of growth in a rose, it is useless to 

 expect perfection except plenty of good food be present in the soil. 

 If it becomes necessary to supply manure it should be dug in in a 

 shallow manner and be of a suitable kind. With reference to disease, 

 it may be said that nitrogenous manures tend to cause a softer and 

 more susceptible growth than other manures. Manures characterised 

 by potash, lime, and phosphorus, rather than by nitrogen, are those 

 that should be applied to roses suffering from leaf-spot. 



Diseases of Larkspur. 



Plants of Larkspur or Delphinium have been submitted to me that 

 had died suddenly in twenty-four hours it was said. The plants 

 were full grown and in blossom. A number of seedlings had been 

 lost in the same manner. Other gardens were affected at the same 

 time, February. 



The soil attached to the base of the plant contained threads of white 

 mycelium, after the manner of soil harbouring certain timber-rotting 

 fungi of the toadstool family, and the base of the plant was decayed 



