208 BEAUTIFUL FLOWERS 



on the place in a very short time. Needless to say they do not 

 spare the rare and expensive varieties. The Carnation grower 

 who has wild rabbits in his neighbourhood will be wise to wire 

 them out. If he cannot wire the whole garden he must wire 

 that portion of it where his Carnations are. If he were an expert 

 he might snare the rabbits in gins, but wiring out is more 

 reliable. Any ironmonger will supply suitable wire. 



What is known as the Carnation maggot is another serious 

 enemy, and one that is likely to be overlooked altogether, because 

 it works insidiously in the heart of the plant. Many a grower 

 loses Carnations and is never able to satisfy himself as to the 

 cause. He suspects wireworms, but cannot find any; he reads of 

 " mould," but sees no trace of it on the leaves. Still the plants 

 go, whole shoots apparently rotting off. The maggot works in 

 the heart of the stems. It comes from a fly named Hylemyia 

 nigrescens, which lays eggs on various parts of the plant. If the 

 grower sees a blistered patch on the leaves he should pierce it 

 through and through with a needle, in order to destroy the maggot 

 within. If he observes a shoot become pale and unhealthy he 

 should carefully slit the stem with a sharp knife and search for 

 the maggot. It is most likely to be found in autumn or winter, 

 but may be operating at almost any period. 



There are two common fungoid diseases of Carnations, one 

 called rust, and the other mould or spot. The latter, Heterosporium 

 echinulatum, is a most deadly disease. It is generally recognisable 

 by a series of patches formed of irregular rings, which spread 

 rapidly. They often appear in autumn, and get worse throughout 

 the winter, so that by the time the spring comes the plants are 

 dead. The disease attacks plants both out of doors and under 

 glass, but the pot plants generally suffer the most severely, as 

 they are in a closer, damper atmosphere, which certainly favours 

 the spread. Every affected leaf should be picked off at once, in 

 the hope of checking the attack. At the same time, the plants 



