338 THE NEW GARDENING 



spreading fast and causing great destruction. Old and 

 young trees are liable to attack. The leaves become 

 flabby and their fresh verdure gives place to a grey glaze. 

 In some cases only a part of the tree is whitened, other 

 portions remaining green, but in others the tree is attacked 

 all over and dies. Many commercial fruit-growers believe 

 that grafted trees show silver-leaf more frequently and 

 in a more aggravated form than budded ones ; but 

 neither grafts nor buds should be taken from infected 

 trees for propagating purposes. Affected shoots should 

 be cut out and burned ; if a tree is badly attacked it 

 should be cut down and burned, root and branch. Young 

 Plums should not be planted on or near sites where 

 diseased trees have been, but Apples may be planted. 



It is impossible to cure fruit trees badly affected by 

 silver-leaf, but a slightly diseased plant may be sprayed 

 with copper carbonate, i oz. of which should be dissolved 

 in a pint of liquid ammonia, and a wineglassful of the 

 mixture diluted in a gallon of water. 



Inoculation with sulphate of iron is being tried. 



The ubiquitous green-fly in its various species probably 

 troubles plant-growers quite as much as any of the diseases 

 which are considered to be modern. It is so fertile that 

 if left undisturbed it multiples in enormous numbers, 

 but it has little tenacity of life. An inexpensive spray 

 for this everyday pest of the garden is the following : 

 3 Ib. of washing soda. 

 I ,, soft soap. 

 40 gallons of water. 



It facilitates mixing if the soap is first boiled in a quart 

 or so of water. If convenient, the mixture may be applied 

 hot. 



Scales of various kinds are not uncommon enemies of 

 ? and Pears, The lime-sulphur and lime-salt sprays 



