Apbil 6, 1016. 



The Rorists' Review 



29 



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I ' FUNGICIDES 



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FOR FLORISTS 



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APPiLICATION 

 of fungicides, 

 as I stated in a pre- 

 vious article, in The 

 Review of February 

 24, has probably 

 ^^SIK9 been the most highly 



^^^^^ ^^ developed phase of 

 1^^^^^^ ' ^^^^^ disease prevention 

 ^^^^^Bb^^ , ^^B in plant pathology, 

 ■HIHHik vHi but in the green- 

 house the use of 

 fungicides, especially those which dis- 

 color the foliage, is limited. 



Eemember that the application of 

 fungicides is not a "cure-all." There- 

 fore, use them only when experiments 

 have shown that they can be applied 

 with beneficial results. Not long ago, 

 when a disease troubled your plants, 

 you were advised to spray with Bor- 

 deaux mixture or some potent fungi- 

 cide, but, fortunately, such advice is 

 now in disfavor. 



Also remember that fungicides are 

 used as a preventive and not as a cure. 

 The only diseases that can be cured 

 are the surface mildews, where the 

 fungus is purely superficial. You can 

 keep disease from spreading if you ap- 

 ply fungicides at an early stage. 



Among the fungicides suitable for 

 use in the greenhouse are the following, 

 with the methods of preparation: 



Bordeaux Mixture. 



Bordeaux mixture is the standard 

 fungicide for the control of certain 

 diseases. It was introduced into this 

 country from Europe in 1887 by the 

 United States Department of Agricul- 

 ture, but has been modified to some ex- 

 tent. The mixture giving the best re- 

 sults in the greenhouse is one made 

 from four pounds of copper sulphate 

 (blue vitriol), four pounds of quick- 

 lime (not air-slaked), and fifty gal- 

 lons of water. Where small quantities 

 are needed the equipment should con- 

 sist of a 50-gallon barrel, two tubs of 

 a capacity of at least tw'enty-five gal- 

 lons, two buckets, and a paddle for 

 mixing. In one tub place twenty-five 



fallons of water and dissolve in it 

 our pounds of copper sulphate, by sus- 

 pending it in a coarse sack just below 

 the surface of the water. In the other 

 tub carefully slake four pounds of 

 quicklime, using only sufficient water to 

 have the lime, when thoroughly slaked, 

 in the form of a thick paste. When 

 cold, dilute to twenty-five gallons. Then 

 the solutions are ready to mix. After 

 stirring well, pour a bucket of each 

 simultaneously into the barrel, allow- 

 ing the streams to come together. Con- 

 tinue this process until the entire 

 amount is made; then stir the mix- 

 ture and strain into a spray-tank. 



Smaller Quantities of Bordeaux. 



When fifty gallons is not needed, a 

 smaller quantity may be conveniently 

 made by using stock solutions. 



A stock solution of copper sulphate 

 is made by dissolving one pound of 

 copper sulphate in one gallon of water. 

 A stock solution of quicklime is made 

 by weighing out a definite quantity and 

 slaking it with a small quantity of 

 water. After the lime is thoroughly 

 slaked and cooled, enough -water is 

 added to make a solution containing 

 one pound of lime per gallon of water. 

 These solutions, if kept in covered ves- 

 sels to prevent evaporation, will re- 

 main good for a long time. In pre- 

 paring the Bordeaux mixture from 

 stock, measure out the proper quantity 

 of your solution of copper sulphate and 

 dilute it with half the quantity- of 

 water needed. In a similar manner 

 measure the lime from stock, and dilute 

 with the other half of the water, but 

 in separate vessels, and mix as put- 

 lined above. 



Bordeaupc imixture is effective for 

 leaf-spots and several of the rusts on 

 greenhouse plants. 



Ammoniacal Copper Oarbonate. 



Ammoniacal copper carbonate con- 

 sists of a solution made by dissolving 

 copper carbonate in ammonia in the 



lows: Potassium sulphide, three to 

 five ounces; water, ten gallons. 



Flowers of Sulphur. 



Flowers of sulphur is the best known 

 fungicide for the control of surface 

 mildews, like that of the rose. The 

 sulphur may be dusted over the plants, 

 through a cheesecloth bag or bellows, 

 so as to fairly cover the leaves with 

 the yellow powder. This method can 

 be used where the mildew is scattered, 

 but when the whole house is affected a 

 paste should be made of sulphur and 

 water and smeared on the steam pipes. 

 The fumes arising from the sulphur on 

 the pipes are effective in killing the 

 mildew. 



Another paste, made from one-fourth 

 lime, three-fourths sulphur and a little 

 water, is just as effective and will re- 

 main on the pipes " longer. Sulphur 

 burners and vaporizers can be used 

 in the summer, when steam is not avail- 

 able. In using the sulphur burner it 

 must be borne in mind that the sulphur 

 fumes -produced by this method are of 

 a different nature from those pro- 

 duced by the steam pipe and vaporiz- 

 ing methods, and are more liable to in- 

 jure the young foliage if applied too 

 strong. 



A new form of sulphur, known as 

 atomic or precipitated sulphur, has ap- 

 peared in the market. This sulphur, 

 which is in a finely divided state, mixes 

 well with water. A paste of any pro- 

 portion can be made up easily. 



Lime-sulphur, a spray used of late 

 years as a fungicide in orchards, has 

 not been given a trial in the green- 

 house. However, it appears to have 

 some possibilities. 



Maple Heights Greenhouses, Marina, lod., After the Recent Storm. 



following proportions: Copper car- 

 bonate, six ounces; ammonia, about 

 three pints; water, fifty gallons. Dis- 

 solve the copper carbonate in the am- 

 monia, using no more ammonia than 

 is positively necessary; then add the 

 water. If the solution is too strong 

 or not properly mixed, some injury 

 may result, in the burning of the 

 tender leaves. The strong solution 

 made of copper carbonate and am- 

 monia can be kept for some time in 

 stoppered bottles and diluted with the 

 proper quantity of water as needed. 

 Unlike Bordeaux mixture, this fungi- 

 cide will not discolor the foliage and, 

 therefore, is preferred in some cases. 

 This solution is effective in the control 

 of the black spot of roses, other leaf- 

 spots, and several rusts. 



Potassium sulphide is particularly 

 effective in the control of certain mil- 

 dews and rusts. Like ammoniacal cop- 

 per carbonate, it does not discolor the 

 foliage. The constituents are as fol- 



AU the chemicals required for the 

 various preparations can be obtained 

 from your supply house or any drug 

 store. George L. Peltier. 



INDIANA STOBM (PICTORIALLY). 



Record was made last week of the 

 cyclone of March 21 that swept the 

 country near Marion, Ind., and of the 

 devastation and wreckage strewn in 

 its wake. The terrific force of the 

 wind is demonstrated by the fact that 

 three railroad cars in the center of the 

 storm were lifted off the tracks. The 

 A. A. Hocker greenhouses near Marion 

 were said to have been completely de- 

 molished, neither pane of glass nor sash 

 was left, and the Marion Floral Co., 

 on the edge of the disturbance, reported 

 a heavy loss of glass from the hail that 

 followed the blast. The Maple Heights 

 Greenhouses, at some distance from Ma- 

 rion, are considered to be a total loss. 

 After the cyclone the houses looked as 



