INSECTS, DISEASES AND OTHER PESTS 237 



ing SO numerous, grow straight up through the calyx 

 without bursting it, while others, such as the Enchantress 

 type, and Ward, are subject to splitting, and one has to 

 be very careful in their growth. The increased amount 

 of petalage causes the calyx to spHt, as the calyx has not 

 always advanced with the flower, and the overabundance 

 of petals contained in the small calyx causes the latter to 

 split badly. The calyx is easily affected by thrips or 

 conditions of temperature, and in this way receives a check 

 which prevents its growing in proportion to the petals as 

 they expand. While no one can absolutely prevent sphts, 

 nearl'y all the present day varieties can be grown in such a 

 way as to reduce the trouble to a minimum by careful ob- 

 servation. Places that suffer most with the trouble are 

 where the houses run north and south instead of east and 

 west. In. the former mentioned houses, during the short 

 Winter days, the temperature rises rapidly until ii a.m., 

 then drops rapidly from that time until 2 p.m., the sun at 

 noontime being in direct Hne with the ridge, and casting 

 shadows over every plant in the house, after which time 

 there is another rise until sunset, and if the man in charge 

 is not familiar with these conditions he will have a fine 

 crop of " splits." 



Diseases * 



" stem rot " (rhizoctonia sp.) 



There are two recognized stem rots of the Carnation, 

 one called the " dry stem rot," due to a species of Fusa- 

 rium; the other, called the " wet stem rot," caused by the 

 fungus Rhizoctonia. To more sharply distinguish these 



*By George L. Peltier, Floricultural Pathologist, University of Illinois Agri- 

 cultural Experiment Station, Urbana, 111. (Reprinted from The Florists' Exchange, 

 an. and Feb., 1914.) 



