484 ROTTINd AT THE CORE. 



Berkeley says: "A portion of the plant, greater or 

 less, does not assume its natural green hue, but ac- 

 quires a yellowish tint. This may spread to other 

 tissues, or remain isolated." " No chlorophyll is 

 formed ; the walls of the cells become flaccid ; their 

 contents undergo chemical changes, and the whole 

 either dries up, leaving additional work to be done 

 by those tissues which remain healthy, or the walls 

 give way, decomposition takes place, the putrefying 

 mass spreads its contagion in every direction, and 

 involves the neighboring structures. When the 

 tissues dry up, the process may be slower, but the 

 result is not less sure. Every part of the plant is 

 liable to be affected ; and even the tissue of the seed 

 may be unhealthy, and transmit the disease through 

 succeeding generations. Thus, what was at first 

 accidental, may eventually become constitutional, 

 or even hereditary." 



This disease results from weakness, produced by 

 superabundant bearing, barren soil, or imperfect 

 drainage. In the first case, rest and good care must 

 be the remedy ; and in the latter two, these must be 

 combined with fertility and thorough drainage. 



5. Premature fall of the Leaf — Phylloptosis. 

 Page 428. 



IT. Diseases affecting the Flower and Fruit. 

 1. Bleftivq, or Rotting at the Core — Tlyposathria. 



