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The Florists^ Rcvkw 



March 9, 1916. 



CABNATION DISEASES. 



I The reiiort of George I-. I'eltior, florioiiltural 

 liathologist. riiiversity of Illinois Afiiicultiiral 

 Experiment StHtion. presented before the con- 

 vention of the Illinois Stiite Hurlsts' Assocln- 

 tlon. at Moline. March 7, lOKi.) 



Branch-rot of carnations was more 

 serious last season than formerly. This 

 •condition was due, in part, to the pecu- 

 liar weather conditions which were 

 prevalent during the summer. The ex- 

 cessive rains produced plants that were 

 large, bushy and soft. As they made 

 such rapid growth, a large amount of 

 topping was necessary, which increased 

 the number of wounds and so increased 

 branch-rot. Also, the plants being 

 bushy prevented them from drying out 

 completely after the rains, aad this 

 factor also induced this trouble. 



The fungus causing branch-rot can- 

 not attack a healthy plant below the 

 surface of the soil like stem-rot, but it 

 is more in the nature of a wound para- 

 site, attacking branches where the 

 flower stems and shoots have been 

 broken off and slowly working its way 

 down into the stems and finally killing 

 the entire plant. The fungus also is 

 able to get in at the nodes and kill the 

 young shoots even before they are vis- 

 ible. In bad cases of node infection 

 the nodes become discolored and split 

 and in a short time the whole branch 

 dies. It was observed for the first 

 time this season that the fungus is the 

 principal cause of the dying off of the 

 lower leaves of the plant, especially in 

 cases where the plants have yellows. 



To Control Branch-Bot. 



To control this trouble, I would make 

 the following recommendations: 



It is better, for several reasons, to 

 use a medium-sized sturdy plant than 

 4 large, bushy one to set in the bench. 



In planting do not set the plants too 

 close together. Overcrowding will in- 

 crease branch-rot considerably. 



As in the case of the control of stem- 

 rot, keep the temperature down, espe- 

 cially during the first three months. 



It is always better to syringe early 

 in the morning of a clear day, so that 

 the plants will dry out by evening. 



In topping be careful not ta leave 

 stubs and broken parts on the plants, 

 for these are open doors for branch-rot 

 to enter. 



In gathering flowers, experiments 

 have shown that carefully breaking off 

 the flower stems at the node is to be 

 preferred to cutting the stems between 

 the nodes. Branch-rot will enter a stub 

 more easily than it will at the nodes. 



Of the utmost importance in the con- 

 trol of branch-rot, as well as other dis- 

 eases, is cleanliness. Adopt for your 

 slogan, "Keep the houses clean!" 

 which means under, as well as on top, of 

 the bench. 



Carnation Yellows. 



Carnation yellows appears to be in- 

 creasing in seriousness rapidly, and now 



is to be found on all the standard vari- 

 eties in the market. While the cause 

 of this disease still remains unknown, 

 I would' make a few suggestions, at this 

 time, which, if carefully followed, will 

 help to eliminate this trouble from your 

 greenhouses. 



Always bear in mind that anything 

 that will lower the vitality of your 

 plants will increase the yellows; also, 

 that any cheek the plants receive will, 

 likewise, tend to increase yellows. 



Before making your cuttings select 

 and mark the strongest and healthiest 

 plants in the benches. Watch them 

 closely and if they develop yellows do 

 not take cuttings from them. 



Make your cuttings from plants in 

 bloom in preference to stock plants. 

 In this connection, when you grow a 



Tta* Kdltor Is pl«ra«d 

 wbMi a Re«d«r 

 Vfmvatm his Ideas 

 on any subleot traatad tn 



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As axpartanoe Is the bast 

 taaoher, so do wa 

 laam fastast by an 

 axetaanBa of ezpariancas. 

 Many valuable points 

 are brousbt out 

 by discussion. 



Good pemnanship, spelling snd 

 grammar, though desirable, are not 

 necessary. Write as you would talk 

 when doios your best. 



WX SHAXX BX GLAD 

 TO HKAB FROM YOU 



new variety, remember the plants are 

 generally propagated from stock plants 

 and, in many cases, weak cuttings, due 

 to overpropagation, are used. There- 

 fore it is well worth your while to se- 

 lect the best and strongest plants of 

 the new varieties the first year and 

 watch them closely. Then make your 

 cuttings in the manner I have outlined 

 above. 



Root your cuttings early in the sea- 

 son and do not leave them in the sand 

 after they have rooted. It is better to 

 pot up cuttings viith. the root system 

 fairly developed than to wait until the 

 cuttings have a great mass of roots. 

 From my observations I have found 

 that the later cuttings are made, the 

 longer they take to root; also, that the 

 late-rooted cuttings will be troubled 

 with yellows much more than the plants 

 rooted early in the season. 



Although the more plants are shifted, 



the more yellows will increase, never 

 let the young plants become potbound 

 or stunted. 



Antirrhinum Sust. 



Antirrhinum rust, like the carnation 

 rust of old, has spread over the whole 

 country and now is found in the east 

 as well as in the west. Like carnation 

 rust, it will run its course and the ulti 

 mate result will be that the antirrhinum 

 breeder will give us rust-resistant vari 

 eties, as in the case of the carnation. 

 However, this time has not yet arrived 

 and the question now before the grower 

 is to know how to control it at the 

 present time. 



This rust, as well as anthracnose, an- 

 other disease of the sn^dragon, <ian be 

 prevented by applying Bordeaux mix 

 ture every two weeks from the seedling 

 stage until the spikes form, followed 

 by a weekly application of ammoniacal 

 copper carbonate during the rest of the 

 growing season. A weekly application 

 of the ammoniacal copper carbonate is 

 also effective. Bordeaux mixture dis- 

 colors the foliage, so it cannot be used 

 through the season. 



In my former reports I recommended 

 the use of seeds instead of cuttings. 

 I have learned from experience, how- 

 ever, that suitable plants for commer- 

 cial purposes cannot be obtained from 

 deeds. Therefore I would modify my 

 recommendation to this extent. Do not 

 use cuttings if you must send for them. 

 Start your first batch from seed and 

 then select cuttings from the most prom- 

 ising plants. Bust cannot be intro- 

 duced in your establishment through 

 seed, but infected cuttings can be easily 

 overlooked. It has been proven rather 

 conclusively that the rust was spread 

 over this country during the last three 

 years on infected cuttings. 



Aster Wilt and Yellows. 



Last summer work was started on 

 aster wilt and yellows, two of the most 

 serious troubles of this crop. About 

 10,000 plants were used in the experi- 

 ments. Twenty-five varieties, represent- 

 ing all the commercial types, were 

 grown from seed obtained from vari- 

 ous states in this country and different 

 localities in Europe. AH the plants 

 used were more or less infected with 

 yellows, showing that the variety or 

 origin of the seed has no influence on 

 the amount of yellows. The more young 

 seedlings were shifted, the more loss 

 from wilt occurred. This was true to 

 some extent with yellows also. The 

 lowest percentage of loss occurred 

 where the seeds were sown directly in 

 the field, although the plants bloomed 

 later. Disinfecting the seed with mer- 

 curic chloride, one part to 1,000 parts 

 of water, for five to ten minutes, and 

 the use of clean seed beds, with a min- 

 imum of shifting, or transplanting, will 

 materially decrease the loss from wilt. 

 No recommendation can be made for 

 the control of yellows at this time. 



Besides the studies reported on above, 

 which are to be considered major prob- 

 lems, we have under observation a 

 number of minor troubles, which it is 

 hoped will be brought to your attention 

 through circulars issued by the divi- 

 sion of floriculture, or through the trade 

 papers. 



Florence, Kan. — J. H. Shaw & Son, 

 who specialize in greenhouse lettuce, 

 have added another large house to their 

 range. 



