CHAPTER VII 

 FUNGOID DISEASES OF PLANTS 



Important and peculiar position of Fungi in the Vegetable King- 

 dom — What is a Fungus ? — Method of reproduction — Condi- 

 tions favourable to the development of parasitical fungi — 

 Means of checking their action — Potato diseases — Club root 

 or Fingers and Toes — Heart rot of Mangolds and Swedes — 

 Bean and Pea Fungi — Celery and Parsley Leaf Spot — Clover 

 Sickness — Corn Fungi — Onion Fungus — White Rust of 

 Cabbages — Gooseberry Mildew — Cankers and Apple 

 Diseases — Strawberry Leaf Spot — Raspberry Disease — 

 Silver Leaf. 



THE question of fungoid diseases of plants is not 

 strictly speaking one that comes within the pro- 

 vince of an insect book. At the same time, as we have 

 seen in the case of the Vine and other greenhouse subjects 

 in the last chapter, the grower is bound to find both insect 

 and fungus pests in close proximity even though they 

 may not be in any way associated with one another. 



For this reason therefore it has been thought advisable 

 to take a few of the more prominent examples of fungi 

 which attack and destroy crops and fruit, and give a 

 short outline of their life history and some suggestions 

 as to the best way in which to combat their activities. 



To begin with, we may very well ask, what is a fungus ? 

 We can answer this question best by looking at the posi- 

 tion in life which fungi occupy, and as it is a pecuhar 

 one it will be worth while examining it a little closely. 



Briefly, then, the Vegetable Kingdom is divided up 



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