Ornarnental Plants 417 



upon lettuce sometimes attacks the carnation bud, rotting 

 it before it opens. 



Infested refuse should be burned and thorough ventilation 

 provided. 



Bud-rot ^'"^^ (Sporotrichum anthophilum Peck). — In this 

 malady some buds never open, others fail to expand to 

 perfect flowers, still others deviate only slightly from the 

 normal. Badly affected flowers, if not picked, wither and 

 turn brown — first the petals, then the sepals. All parts of 

 the flower within the calyx are eventually affected with a 

 rot, and in som-e cases, though not always, hyphae of the 

 causal fungus may be seen with the naked eye. Mites 

 are usually present, but they are not responsible for the 

 disease. 



Neglect is among the prominent predisposing causes, 

 especially the presence of too much water in the soil or air, 

 and the accumulation of debris, leaves, trimmings, and other 

 organic matter on the benches. 



The disease may cause considerable damage; thus a daily 

 loss of from $1.50 to $2 is recorded in one small house. Since 

 the buds only are affected, not the plants themselves, no 

 permanent injury is done, and clean culture, destruction of 

 all refuse which might harbor the fungus, maintenance of 

 moisture at the minimum, and the picking and burning of all 

 infected buds will soon bring relief. 



Rot (Volutella dianthi Atk.). ■ — The affected parts are 

 pale and studded with minute, black acervuli. This disease 

 is of greatest injury in the cutting bench. 



Stem-rot''-^ {Corticium vagum). — Plants suddenly wilt, 

 dry, and die, while the outer portion of the stem becomes soft 

 and rotten. Sclerotia as described in connection with potato 

 stem-rot are present. For further discussion of stem-rot, 

 see p. 21. High growing temperatures and excess of mois- 

 ture should be avoided. Infested soil can be disinfected by 

 steam. 



Yellows. — Irregular, sunken spots occur. The cause is 

 unknown. 



