CONTROL OF DISEASES 127 



and bringing it to a good tilth condition as to moisture 

 content. Then the soil is treated with a solution of for- 

 malin made of two pints of a 40 per cent, formalin in 50 

 gallons of water, at the rate of one gallon of the preparation 

 to each square foot of the surface. The application may 

 be given with an ordinary watering can. After the heavy 

 wetting down the soil should be left free for about two 

 weeks, until all the formalin evaporates. This treatment 

 will rid the soil of all fungous pests. But it will not be 

 effective in controlling nematodes, hence the steamheating 

 method is best for them." — (Taubenhaus.) 



Little advantage has been found to result from the 

 use of potassium permanganate as a fungicide so far as 

 our own experience goes, for we have seen rows of Peas 

 treated with strong and weak solutions which were no 

 better than part of the same row left untreated. Never- 

 theless, in the case of an attack of anthracnose, or streak, 

 or the mosaic disease, one may be prompted to use a pale 

 wine-colored solution. 



Root rot, caused by the fungus Thielavia basicola, 

 eats away the roots and may travel up the stem a little at 

 the base. For a time this was believed to be the cause of 

 streak. Chilling of the roots or overwatering will tend to 

 induce an attack. Other root pests are the Rhizoctonia 

 disease and the Fusarium wilt, each of which at times, and 

 under certain conditions, cause the seedlings or young 

 plants to droop or damp off. 



Dropping of the buds results from supplying a too 

 highly nitrogenous food ration, and also by sudden fluc- 

 tuations, especially lowering, of the temperature. Tauben- 

 haus says: " We have successfully controlled this trouble 

 within one week by the application of phosphoric acid and 

 sulphate of potash along the row." 



