1847.] Mildew. 131 



they may Le nearly related to each other. There are two classes 

 of these fungi, one class occupying the interior organization of a 

 vegetable, and the other the exterior. The former are seen to 

 break through the outer coverings of the plant, as the epidermis, 

 for the purpose of ripening and dispersing their spores. Of the 

 Uredo 1(^1 ida, the Erineum griscum, ^4']cidium cancellatum and 

 various species of Puccinia are the most common. The first is 

 often called the pepper brand, and attacks wheat. It fills the 

 young grain with a jelly like substance, and its odor is fa'ted. Its 

 spores are brown. 



The Puccinia affects the straw of wheat, and is generated or 

 produced in the cellular tissue, and breaks forth through the epi- 

 dermis to ripen and sow its spores. The organs bearing the spores 

 are club-form and simple. The mildew of the gooseberry is an- 

 other parasitical plant appearing upon the cuticle in the form of a 

 brown nap, or fur. When it isiubbed off, the cuticle often seems 

 to be perfectly sound. The peach is subject to mildew. It is the 

 Erysiphe pannosa. It appears from what is known upon the sub- 

 ject, that the internal parasites attack the most vigorous plants; 

 while the external attack only the feeble and sickly. 



These curious facts are accounted for on the ground that in the 

 former case the spores are taken up by the roots from the soil in 

 w' i:h they preexisted. In the latter case it is agreeable to what 

 is known of the analogy of things. It is well known that only 

 the sickly and feeble in animals are subject to the attacks of para- 

 sites, as intestinal worms, &c. A practical rule which it is highly 

 necessary to observe in the first instance, viz: to burn or destroy 

 those plants which are infested with the kind of mildew, as there- 

 by the spores are destroyed, and are prevented from infecting the 

 soil of gardens. So in the latter case as the existence of mildew 

 upon the outside affects the feeble principally, so, a more invigo- 

 rating diet is called for. In the case of gooseberry blight, the use 

 of lime and alkalies is highly important, as giving strength and 

 vigor to the growing fruit. If the functions of the organs are 

 carried on vigorously, the plant resists the attacks of mildew or 

 fungi. 



CURE FOR MILDEW. 



Put some sulphur vivum in a bag and boil it well in -"^ater. 

 When cold, if too strong dilute it with clear water, and then 

 syringe your mildewed heaths with the mixture. This mode of 

 curing the evil is equally effectual with that of dusting with sul- 

 phur, and has the advantage that it does not disfigure the plants. 



