42 HOME FLORICULTURE 



satisfaction if used as directed. But the use of a few 

 spoonfuls will accomplish nothing. The soil must be 

 soaked all through with it. No one need fear to use 

 it, because water can hold only a certain amount of 

 the active qualities of lime in suspension, therefore, 

 if the clear water is used, no harm can be done by 

 it. As a general thing worms are introduced by the 

 use of cow manure. This is why I advise the use of 

 such fertilizers as will not breed worms. By applying 

 hot water to manure in the preparation of liquid 

 fertilizer, the larvae in the material can generally be 

 killed, but if this precaution is not taken worm-infested 

 soil is almost sure to result. 



Of late complaints come from all over the country 

 of a disease which seems to affect nearly all plants. 

 The leaves of the plant attacked by it show light green 

 or yellow blotches, and these, after a time, become dry 

 and brown, as the tissue of the leaf is eaten away. 

 Sometimes the effect of the disease is most noticeable 

 on the edges of the leaves, which become brown and 

 dry, and crumble away. Generally the diseased leaves 

 turn yellow, or rusty looking, and fall off. The growth 

 of the plant is weak, and buds blast. If Ivy Leaf 

 Geraniums are attacked, their leaves, on the underside, 

 look as if they had been gnawed by some insect and 

 more or less scarred appearance characterizes the entire 

 foliage. A few plants are attacked at first — generally 

 those of low vitality — but the disease rapidly spreads 

 to others, until the entire collection looks as if it had 

 been scorched. The trouble is due to a disease of 

 bacterial or fungous nature. It spreads from spores 

 which settle upon healthy leaves and establish them- 

 selves there, and soon poison the blood of the plant, 

 which is helpless in its efforts to rid itself of them. 



The only remedy seems to be found in the copper 

 carbonates. Bordeaux mixture, used by fruit growers 



