August 25, 1897.] 



Garden and Forest. 



335 



Cultural Department. 



A Renewed Outbreak of the Asparagus Rust. 



EARLY this spring- the appearance of this fungus was 

 noted in Garden and Forest (see page 236), and 

 since it is a new and alarming enemy, Dr. Halsted has 

 sent out a fresh circular of warning. In a badly infested 

 Asparagus field the plants generally appear as if they had 

 matured unseasonably, and instead of their usually healthy 

 color the field looks brown, as if frosts or insects had 

 robbed the plants of their vitality. When viewed near at 

 hand the diseased plants are seen to have the skin on the 

 stems, large and small, blistered, and in the ruptures of the 

 epidermis dark brown spots can be detected as shown 

 in the figure below. These brown dots or lines are of 

 various sizes and shapes, and remind the close observer 

 of similar spots in the broken skin of stems of grains and 

 grasses and of the leaves of corn, also due to rusts, but not 

 the same kind as that of the Asparagus. 



The Asparagus rust is due to a fungus, Puccinia asparagi 

 DC, that is, a minute plant consisting of microscopic 



Fig. 44 — Portions of Rusted Asparagus Stems. 



threads which grow through the substance of the Asparagus 

 plant, taking up the nourishment that is needed, and finally 

 break through the surface to bear the innumerable brown 

 spores that give the dark color to the spots on the Aspar- 

 agus stems. This is the last stage in the development of 

 the rust fungus, and as such remains over the winter. 

 When the warm, moist weather of spring and summer 

 comes, the spores above mentioned germinate and a new- 

 lot of Asparagus plants may become infested. 



There are two general methods of checking the rust, 

 namely, by destroying the spores and by preventing their 

 growing upon, and getting a foothold in, the substance of 

 healthy Asparagus plants. The rust fungi are among the 

 most difficult to check — by protecting the plants they feed 

 upon — by means of fungicides, Bordeaux mixture, etc., 

 sprayed upon them during the growing season. While 

 something may be hoped for with the spraying pump, the 

 chief method of eradication lies in the destruction of the 

 many spores. This can be done in a very simple and 

 effective manner by carefully gathering all the parts of the 

 Asparagus plants that are above ground and burning- them. 

 It would be a waste of time to stack the tops and leave 



them to natural decay ; and to place them in manure- 

 heaps would be still worse. The only safe thing to do 

 when a serious enemy like this is in the Asparagus field is 

 to burn the plants, even to the last scrap that can be gath- 

 ered up. Let this be done at once, for any delay means 

 the breaking up of the brittle, rusty plants, and a generous 

 sowing of the spores upon the ground. If the fire could 

 go over the whole field and burn all the small as well as 

 the large pieces, this would be the best of all. 



The Hybrid Gladioli. 



CUMMER- FLOWERING Gladioli are now at their best. 

 •~* Fine effects can be made by planting them in groups of 

 one color or by arranging them in lines of separate colors, and 

 their decorative value is thus enhanced. A mixed bed cannot 

 be arranged so well, and the result is often an inharmonious 

 medley. Again, mixed varieties, sold as unnamed seedlings, 

 no matter how much inbred to conserve the type, still revert, 

 and vary greatly in time of blooming. 



The direct hybrids and inbred crosses from the first were 

 superior to the types in beauty. The Gandavensis type or sec- 

 tion is the oldest and best known. It originated halt a century 

 ago as a cross between Gladiolus psittacinus and G. oppositi- 

 folius. Their showy colors and the ease with which they are 

 cultivated made them at once permanently popular. The 

 Brenchleyensis, with scarlet flowers, is one of the best repre 

 sentatives of this type. All are characterized by erect, some- 

 what trumpet-shaped flowers and an upright and close 

 arrangement on the spike. Professor Gibbs is a fine example. 

 It is a handsome purplish pink with a white blotch, and 

 originated from seed sent by Dr. Gibbs, of Newport, to 

 Professor Sargent, of Brookline. Others are John Laing, deep 

 red ; Agathe, rose tinted with orange ; Feu Follet, white, 

 throat striped with red; Rayon d'Or, straw-colored, with red 

 markings ; Snow-white, an excellent variety for florists ; Sul- 

 tana', satiny rose. Probably a thousand varieties have received 

 names, and a large number of these are in cultivation to day. 



The finest colors among Gladioli occur in what is known 

 as the Lemoinei section, and the form of flower is also distinct, 

 with the hooded characteristics of one of its parents, G. 

 purpureo-auratus, strongly marked. The strongly contrasted 

 coloring, divided as if by lines, makes the most attractive 

 feature. Rich red and yellow shades predominate, but there 

 are frequent shadings ot white and pink. The well-marked 

 blotching readily calls to mind some of the fancy French show 

 Pelargoniums. Some of the best are Andre Chenier, pink, 

 with large satiny black blotch bordered with yellow ; Mademoi- 

 selle Lemoine, straw-yellow, with purple blotches ; Masque de 

 Fer, bright red, lower segments deep maroon, with yellow 

 centre, specially good ; E. V. Hallock, sulphur-yellow/ large 

 crimson blotch, white centre and border of yellow. 



The introduction of Gladiolus Saundersii about a dozen 

 years ago brought to the notice of the hybridizer a new large- 

 flowered species, with flat, orange-scarlet blooms and a con- 

 spicuous lower segment. G. Saundersii is hardier than many 

 of the hybrids, and frequently has endured the winters here. 

 Crossed with some of the hardier species it has given us the 

 Nanceianus section. This, as well as the Lemoinei group, is 

 hardy in Europe, but the corms should be lifted here, though 

 they occasionally stand through the winter. The Nanceianus 

 group is characterized by large open flowers, and many are 

 finely marked. Some of the best are Fred Bergemann, salmon- 

 red ; Canrobert, purplish marked, and striped with rosi ■; 

 Charles Baltet, rosy-violet, with white throat; G. Paul, velvety 

 crimson, with yellow blotches. 



Still another type has originated, known as the Childsi, which 

 is from a cross between Gladiolus Saundersii and the Ganda- 

 vensis hybrids. Thus far it is in the hands ot the hybridist, 

 but soon many varieties will be in cultivation. 



Gladioli do best in a rich, well-drained soil, and should 

 not be planted more than three inches deep. This lias been 

 a favorable season for these plants on light soils. They enjoy 

 abundant moisture when growing. It is better to lilt the 

 corms before frost cuts them down, and store them in frames 

 with a little sand or soil over the roots, and they thus ripen grad- 

 ually and thoroughly and the (nod stored in the stems and 

 leaves returns to the bulb. Bulhlets form about the base ot 

 the old bulbs, and when a variety is extra fine it should be 

 marked so that these can be taken care of at lifting time. It 

 planted separately the following spring they will make fair 

 corms the same season. Gladioli are easily raised from 

 seed, with even less trouble than onions. Large numbers ot 



