88 
Peony disease. Bee have shared in the revived popularity 
of herbaceous gardening. Frequent complaints are, however, 
made of their liability p» disease. Characteristic Specimens have 
b 
Glasnevin. The following report was furnished upon them, 
which is published for general information :— 
The Peeonies are suffering from * oe disease," caused by 
a minute fungus called Sclerotinia Peon 
Spraying at intervals of four days with a re of potassium 
sulphide (1 oz. of potassium sulphide dissolved in 3 gallons 
of water) will check the spread of the disease. 
To prevent a recurrence next season, diseased leaves should be 
removed promptly, to prevent the formation of sclerotia in the 
diseased tissue. During autumn, the soil should be removed 
from the crown and € the root, and replaced by fresh soil 
mixed with quicklim 
next season = intervals of a week, with potassium 
sulphide solution, commencing first when the leaves appear 
above ground. 
: G. M. 
May 5th, 1899. 
Cultivation of Turnsole.— The Parisian daily paper Le petit 
Journal of December 11, 1898, contained the following account 
of the cultivation of Chrozophora un ia at Grand Gallargues in 
the department of Gard, South France 
“ This year’s harvest, "which has best | a fairly good one, is for 
the most part as usual absorbed by the Dutch cheese industry. 
Our soil is peculiarly suited to the cultivation of Chrozophora 
tinctoria (Croton tinctorius ; Croton des Passi or Turnsole), 
village to ferment. Paraicntülion brings about the Min odi 
necessary for the development of the fine red dye, which for 
centuries has been employed by the Dutch cheese-makers. Year 
by year for several centuries has a Dutch ship put into Cette and 
ken off a cargo of Croton stems and leaves prepared as just 
described. 
“To give them their red colour, the cheese manufacturers of 
Holland wrap ‘ther reg in the Croton leaves and take them 
d 
eru nas of interest may be added to the above. Not until 1808, 
was it shown clearly that turnsole could be cultivated from seed. 
Before this ge the people of Grand ee which, then, a8 
now, was the re of the indu ustry, har ested their entire crop 
from wild ie a u ear by year in the mo rt of July, August, 
and Septemb er, Bows scattered throug’: the depart of the 
So e—Bouches du Rhóne, Var, Gard, Hérault, 
Pyrénées aioa and Vaucluse —zathering the plaats where 
. abundant, and fer.nenting them on the spot. 
