Mikania 



Mildew 



shift, this process being repeated as the roots 

 require fresh feeding ground, though it should not 

 be done after the end of September. 



Varieties s - 



Tliere are now many vars., including some with 

 yellowish blooms, and others with flowers which 

 have a distinctly reddish hue. Bush Hill White, 

 Covent Garden Favourite, Giant White, Golden 

 Gem, Golden Queen, Machet, Miles' Spiral, and 

 Victoria Crimson are all good. Urania is a fine 

 new red vnr. 



MIKANIA. 



In this large genus (ord. Composite), most of 

 the members are stove evergreen climbers. They 



wild and cultivated plants. They are commonly 

 given, the generic name of O'idium, and grouped 

 thereunder as species, and yet it is almost certain 

 that in not a few cases they are only a phase in 

 the life history of much more highly organised 

 fungi. 



Of the mildews which are commonly found in 

 gardens, Oidium Tuckeri attacks the Grape; O. 

 Balsamii is to be found on Turnips; Sphserotheca 

 pannosa is injurious to Peaches and Roses ; S. 

 Castagnei, to Hops, and many wild plants ; Podo- 

 splisera Oxyacanthae attacks the Hawthorn ; Ery- 

 siphe Martii, Peas ; E. communis, and E. Cichora- 

 cearum, various garden plants ; M-rcrosphaera 

 Berberidis, the Barberry ; and M. Grossularise, the 



Photo: A. 11. De'Ath, Ashfonl. 



MIGNONETTE FINELY GKOWN IN I-OTS (see p. 74). 



are allied to Eupatorium, and answer to the same 

 cultural attention as that bestowed upon the stove 

 species of that genus. Scandens will do in the 

 open air in summer, and likes a wooden trellis to 

 ramble over. 



Principal Species : 



Saiuleri, Ivs. large, bright 

 grn. , bronze pur. 



Other Species: 

 ani.-ira, sum., bl. (syi/. 

 Guaco). 



scandens, sum., 

 grh. , yel. , wh. 



warm 



apiifolia. sum., yel., Ivs. 

 (lark gru. 



MILDEW. 



A popular name applied to a number of micro- 

 scopic fungi which cover the epidermis of the 

 plants upon which they are parasitic with a meal- 

 like powder. The name may have come from the 

 German mekl-thau, or meal-dew, in reference to 

 this meal-like deposit. There are several genera 

 and many species of mildews, and they attack both 



Gooseberry. All are more or less harmful, particu- 

 larly in the case of Vines, Peaches, Roses, and 

 Chrysanthemums, when bad attacks bring about 

 the untimely fall of the leaves, and hinder those 

 leaves which do not fall from the proper perform- 

 ance of their functions. 



There is no better treatment for mildew than 

 dusting with flowers of sulphur. Brought into con- 

 tact with the spores, the sulphur does its work 

 well, checking the spread of the disease. For 

 light attacks, upon all plants, a dusting of sulphur 

 is to be advised. It may be applied through a 

 special sulphur blower, such as the " Malbec," but 

 several applications may be necessary. Chrysan- 

 themums, in early spring, are liable to mildew if 

 the weather be cold and damp. The first spots 

 should be watched for and dusted over. The 

 same advice applies to Cinerarias, which are 

 frequent sufferers. Roses are best kept mildew 

 proof by mixing a little sulphur with the water 

 used for syringing ; this plan is followed with 



