88 



fruit growing and rind something else more suited to your limi- 

 tations. In fact, make way for a better man. Codlin in apples 

 and pears is nothing like so serious in our opinion as Red Scale 

 in citrus, and the men who are now establishing South African 

 Fruit Growing, and the men who will later join m and help, are 

 not and never should be of the type that the Americans so aptly 

 describe as " getting cold feet." 



PLANT DISEASES AND FUNGICIDES. 

 By a Recognised Authority. 



All plants are subject to disease. The planter, farmer, 

 fruit-grower, forester and* gardener all know this to their cost. 

 Disease in plants may be caused by parasites or unsuitable local 

 conditions or by a combination of both these factors. 



Under the heading parasites may be included insect pests 

 and plant pests. The former involve a special study of their own, 

 and are dealt with by the Entomologist ; the latter engage the 

 attention of the Botanist. Plant pests which cause disease fall 

 roughly under three main groups : 



1. Plants which are clearly visible to the naked eye, and 

 which more often than not resemble ordinary green plants, but 

 instead of sending roots into the soil for nourishment attach 

 themselves so intimately to other plants that they extract their 

 food from them instead of from the soil. Among these may be 

 mentioned mistletoe, dodder, red weed, or Striga. 



2. Plants which, during the greater part of their life, are 

 not readily visible to the naked eye, but which are so small that 

 they are able to live in the tissues of their host, and are commonly 

 known as fungi. 



3. Plants which are so minute that they can only be de- 

 tected by microscopes of high magnification. These plants are 

 commonly known as bacteria. 



It was stated above that disease in plants might also be 

 brought about by unsuitable local conditions. The local condi- 

 tions which affect plants are soil, atmosphere and- temperature. 



Every plant has its own peculiar requirements in each of 

 these respects, and should they not be fulfilled or be more than 

 necessary the life of the plant may be seriously impaired. For 

 instance, the soil may be too dry or too wet, too acid or too alka- 

 line for the particular plant that we wish to grow. In the same 

 way the atmosphere may be too dry or too humid, too dull or too 

 bright. Temperature, also, which is a very important factor in 

 plant life, may 1>e unsuitable. 



.It is beraiiM- plants vary so in their requirements as to soil, 

 phere and temperature conditions that we are unable to> 



