Sundry Operations in the Rose Garden. 



157 



X200 



Fig. 45. ORANGH FUNGUS 



Early Stage Coleosporium pinguae. 



Enlarged 200 diameters. 



are shown as pushed off or free in the illustration, and it is curious to note that 

 as upper joints become mature they become finely hairy or spinulose as shown. 

 This early condition of Orange Fungus is known to botanists as Coleosporium 

 pinguae. 



As autumn approaches, the orange tint of the Coleosporium fungus becomes 

 replaced by an intense brown or black hue, and this black colour is a sign that the 



mature condition of the fungus is reached on the now 

 dying leaves. If a little of the black powder is placed 

 under the microscope and enlarged two hundred dia- 

 meters it will be seen as at Fig. 46. Each of the four 

 dark bodies here illustrated is a compacted series of 

 about six or seven resting spores placed one on the 

 other. Each series of spores is enclosed in a frost-proof 

 and water-proof membrane, which membrane preserves 

 the resting spores amongst the rotting Rose leaves on 

 the ground safe and intact all through the Winter. When the Spring arrives the 

 spore-membrane cracks and the resting spores become separate, they are then carried 

 about in the air by the winds of early spring, and such spores as alight upon Roses 

 produce Orange Fungus. When in a very infantile state Orange Fungus is pale 

 sulphur in colour, or even cream-coloured. This very early condition, seen just 

 before the development of the orange-colour, is known as Lecythea rosae. 



Orange Fungus in its different stages is not confined to 

 garden Roses, for it grows with great virulence on many of 

 the wild Roses of our hedges ; our gardens are therefore 

 frequently infected from wild Roses. 



As Orange Fungus grows within the substance of the 

 foliage and stem it is impossible to reach it with any mix- 

 ture from the syringe. In places where this pest frequently 

 occurs care should be taken to gather together and burn 

 the dead Rose foliage of the Autumn. By this means the 

 ^ resting spores of the fungus may be destroyed, and there 

 Fig. 4 6 -ORANGE FUNGUS. w iH be less chance of the recurrence of the fungus in the 



Late Stage Phragmidium mticronatum r . 



Enhrged 200 diameters. following Spring. In bad cases some of the resting spores 



will remain upon the leafless stems and branches of Rose plants ; these may be 

 syringed off, but they will probably retain their vitality upon or in the ground 

 unless some poisonous solution is used. The following infusion has produced good 

 results Four ounces of hellebore root to half-a-gallon of water, then dissolve half-a- 

 drachm of bichloride of mercury in a little spirit, and add this to the solution, with 

 half-a-gallon of lime water. 



Let us now briefly consider the work and enjoyments of the year, commencing 



