August io, 1892.] 



Garden and Forest. 



381 



Of the others, one had about three per cent, killed, ei,t;ht per 

 per cent, quite badly aftecled, with many more plants show- 

 ing; traces of the disease. A second held had two per cent, 

 killed, and about two per cent, injured. A third lield showed 

 at tliat time only traces of the blight. 



As this trouble is evidently in the northern states it may be well 

 to add that the infested plants lirstshow a wilting as if there was a 

 lack of water-supply, then lose their green color and finally die. 

 The germ is found most abundant in the pith and growing 

 layer of the stem. The blight does not seem to be confined 

 to any particular kind of soil, situation or exposure. It is 

 probable that the plants may be attacked before they are set 

 in the fields, as well as afterward. Potatoes are similarly af- 

 fected by a bacterium which is communicable to the Tomato, 

 and the germ seems to be the same. In like maimer Melons 

 and Cucumbers are attacked by a bacterium, and it is quite 

 likely that they are all the same, and if this be the case, it fol- 

 lows that a soil may become contaminated with bacteria from 

 any one of these crops and make it unfit for any of the others. 

 The Potato, from the nature of its "seed," is the best adapted 

 for the dissemination of the blight, as it can be carried unob- 

 served in the tubers used in planting. Special care should be 

 taken with all land upon which a Ijacterial disease has 

 flourished. Burn the affected plants when found and also all 

 litter in the Held at harvest-time. It is possible that the Bor- 

 deaux mixture or some other fungicide may prove effective 

 against this minute and insidious trouble. 



Rutgers College. Byroti D. Hals fed. 



Violet Disease. 



THERE is nothing more puzzling to gardeners and florists 

 than the Violet disease, or spot. Its ravages are wide- 

 spread and unusually fatal to success. The disease seems to 

 attack the plants, and the spores that are dormant germinate 

 more readily when the conditions are most favorable for 

 growth ; hence the advisability of getting the plants under 

 cover in frames or houses as soon as excessive day temper- 

 atures are past and night dews begin. 



In our case failures have been much more conspicuous 

 than successes, and perfectly healthy stock becomes badly in- 

 fested soon after it is planted in our grounds. 



Becoming convinced after repeated trials that starting 

 with healthy plants was not certain to circumvent the dis- 

 ease, we began to try the cure for fungoid growths, as found 

 in the various preparations of copper that are now so gener- 

 ally recommended. Our first trial was made last fall with 

 carbonate of copper and ammonia, and the result was soon 

 apparent; for the foliage perished promptly, either because 

 the mixture was unsuitable on account of the ammonia in it, 

 or the plants were too far gone before the remedy was applied. 

 I think now from added experience that the latter was prob- 

 ably the case. 



This spring we started again, with plants from five sources, 

 planted in as many different situations as we could provide. 

 The plants in one of the lots were badly diseased when they 

 came, the others were part clean and part slightly affected ; 

 we used the Bordeaux mixture, and soon concluded that it 

 had no curative effect upon diseased plants. It was better to 

 destroy infested plants, root and branch. We have about 

 twenty rows of clean stock planted at right angles to the row 

 that was destroyed, and the half-dozen plants at the end of 

 each row were badly attacked, plainly from being near the 

 others, although all were treated alike with the mixture. All 

 of the above are planted between rows of Celery in a soil 

 that does not dry out readily. 



We have also several other lots planted where they are 

 shaded after noon by Elm-trees, but whether in shade or open 

 the disease spots appear. These are dressed before they dis- 

 figure the foliage to any extent, so that we do not have to pick 

 off any leaves, as this debilitates the plants and renders the 

 young leaves more liable to attack. 



Another point we are satisfied upon is, that the best way to 

 secure good vigorous stock for this year is to avoid using 

 those that were cropped during the past winter to propagate 

 from. The better way is to let the runners grow on a part of 

 the plants, and in fall take them off and make cuttings of 

 them, keeping them in flats all winter, where they will grow 

 the least and yet be free from frost. Of Marie Louise, those 

 so treated are the best we have. It would appear that con- 

 stantly propagating from plants that have been forced year 

 after year to do their utmost in winter, has so weakened the plants 

 as to render them unable to resist the disease when it appears. 



The Lady Campbell Violet, a variety recently imported, is 

 with us less liable to become diseased than the Marie Louise, 



though, in time, it will probably be as susceptible as any other. 

 This variety is of a light lavender-l>lue, similar to the old Nea- 

 politan, but much larger, and produces the sweetest flowers 

 of any Violet. It is sure to become largely grown when better 

 known, for the color is mucli liked. The kind known locally 

 as the Cape Cod double Violet, and elsewhere as the double 

 Russian, is the darkest lilue douljle Vif)let — fragrant, perfectly 

 hardy here, Init produces its flowers in spring only. When 

 grown in frames it comes in just when the Marie Louise is 

 past, and may always be had in ([uaiUity for Easter. The only 

 objection to it is the short stems, but we kee[) the sashes on 

 most of the time and syringe freely to induce a vigorous leaf- 

 growth, and the flowers will draw \\\) through the foliage. 

 This variety, with The Czar, Schonbrunn, Wellsiana and Vic- 

 toria (all single), wc find disease-proof, and are used when the 

 double kinds fail. The single kinds all produce a crop of flow- 

 . ers, and tlien stop flowering. The best way is to bring them 

 in from the cold frames in succession, to keep up a supply 

 through the winter. Most Violet-growers have a theory of 

 their own in regard to this disease ; but it does not appear to 

 be so well known as it should be that the Bordeaux mixture 

 is a safe preparation to use, and of decided benefit if used as 

 a preventive. As a means of cure it is valueless, if the plants 

 are allowed to become defoliated. There is no better way to 

 treat plants that have lost their leaves than to burn them. 



There is also another enemy to Violet-culture in the nema- 

 todes, or root-galls, which is harder to deal with than the disease 

 of the leaves. When the plants are so attacked they refuse to 

 grow, and the edges of the leaves have a scorched appear- 

 ance ; the roots are covered with small knots, caused by the 

 nematodes, which are in tlie soil they grew in, either out-of-doors 

 or on the bench of the greenhouse. To guard against this 

 trouble we have planted the Violets in new soil outside and 

 avoided the use of fertilizers of all kinds, simply adding to the 

 loam a heavy dressing of decayed leaves. 



South Lancaster, Mass. E. O. Orpct. 



Chrysanthemums. 



CHRYSANTHEMUMS in pots will soon need stimulants in 

 some form. When giving the final potting I leave enough 

 space for a top-dressing in July, and after the roots have fairly 

 used this the feeding process should begin. All will not be in 

 condition to take stimulants at the same time, and no general rule 

 can be laid down. Some varieties are less vigorous than others, 

 and different plants of the same variety vary. Much, too, de- 

 pends upon the kind of soil used, and whether the plants are 

 potted firmly or loosely. In general, it may be stated that 

 stimulants should not be applied until the plants are vi'ell 

 rooted, and should be given sparingly, or withheld from weak 

 varieties or delicate plants. Many of the lessons we liave 

 learned by experience in the cultivation of plants under artifi- 

 cial conditions are costly ones, but these are the lessons which 

 are forgotten. Fortunately, there is no plant which will bear 

 so much hard treatment as the Chrysanthemum, and, there- 

 fore, I have been able to remedy many mistakes before it has 

 been too late. I had been taught that it was early enough to 

 apply liquid-manure when the flower-buds began to show 

 themselves, and, while I have had good healthy plants grown 

 in this way and fair blooms, I have lost the lower leaves and 

 have never got enough shoots to cover the naked stems. I 

 was convinced, however, that the loss of leaves was owing to 

 the need of nourishment after the pots were filled with roots 

 and must have nearly exhausted tlie soil. In later years I have ap- 

 plied manures earlier, oras soon as the plants needtjd additional 

 food. Two years ago some of my plants turned yellow, which 

 I am almost certain was the result of an overdose of guano ; 

 but, by allowing them to go as dry as possible with safety and 

 then watering only with clear water, I soon got them into a 

 good color. 



Another lesson learned was to pack heavy soil rather lightly, 

 and light soil firmly. A heavy soil packed firmly is always 

 either in danger of getting water-logged, or else the ball dries 

 up so that to get it thoroughly soaked it needs to be placed in 

 a tub of water several hours. This is important to remember 

 when it is intended to feed up plants into large specimens. No 

 rule can be made as to the proper date to commence and 

 proper intervals for feeding. My plants are looking extremely 

 well thisseason, and the consequence is I am usingfewerstimu- 

 lants. Just now I find the liquid-manure from a stable where 

 three cows and one horse are kept is very satisfactory when 

 diluted with thirty times its bulk of water, and this I only apply 

 once in two weeks. Clay's Fertilizer I find the safest of com- 

 mercial manures and of good lasting qualities ; occasionally I 

 alternate this with guano and some other fertilizer, at the rate 

 of two pounds to one hundred gallons of water. I have 



