424 



The Profitable Culture of Vegetables. 



FUNGOID DISEASES. 



ASPARAGUS RUST (Puccinia asparagi). Asparagus is subject to 

 the attacks of several fungoid diseases, that known as "rust" being the 

 most destructive. It does not appear until after midsummer. When a 

 plantation is badly affected its general appearance is that of an unusually 



early maturing of the foliage. 

 Instead of the glossy green 

 appearance which healthy 

 plants present, the foliage 

 shows a yellowish brown 

 colour, whilst the stems will 

 be seen to have raised 

 patches of blistered skin. 

 Underneath this skin are 

 large numbers of the spores 

 of the fungus, which arc of 

 a reddish colour. These 

 spores are carried by the 

 wind and lodge on other 

 plants, and so the disease 

 is spread far and wide. 

 As the autumn advances 

 the spores become darker, 

 and the shoots seem almost 

 black. The fungus seriously 

 weakens the plant and if 

 not eradicated ultimately 

 kills it. 



Treatment : A thorough spraying with Bordeaux mixture will check 

 the disease. There will be some difficulty in getting the spray to stick to 

 the glossy leaves and stems, but if a very fine spray is used with plenty of 

 pressure this obstacle may be overcome. 



Diseased stems and foliage should be burned in the autumn, and they 

 should be handled as little as possible before burning to avoid distributing 

 the spores. 



Good cultivation and watering to obtain a vigorous and sturdy growth 

 will do much to prevent attacks of rust. 



Asparagus Plant affected with Rust, 

 and portion of rusted stem. 



BEAN POD CANKER (Colletotrichum Lindemuthianum). 

 fungus attacks the pods of French and runner beans, in the form of dark 

 irregular-shaped spots and patches, edged with a red line. These spread 

 and often run into each other, becoming sunken, and arc then more or less 

 covered with a thin whitish crust. Sometimes the fungus passes through 

 to the seed inside the pod, making yellowish or brownish pits or wrinkles 

 upon them. Although as a rule the disease is not noticed by the gardener 



