ON PESTS GENERALLY. 



1 105 



are of more than one kind, each, as previously stated, having a 

 particular part to fulfil. The forms of fruits (or rather the appear- 

 ance of the plants when such fruits are ripe) with which the 

 gardener is familiar are the spring and summer ones. The winter 

 fruit is absolutely unknown because, being a resting stage, it is 

 passed in the soil, or it may be in the decaying parts of the plant, 

 until the following season, when it resumes activity, and only needs 

 to come in contact with a host-plant whose parts are favourable to 

 its development, to commence again the cycle of life. The summer 

 form of fruit is produced very rapidly, and as it is scattered so 

 readily in various ways, unless the surrounding plants of the 

 same kind are protected in some way they are sure to fall 

 victims. Thus it is that spraying with a fungicide a house of 

 plants from which say one unhealthy one has been removed, 

 is of the utmost value, as it renders the susceptible parts 

 non-susceptible. In other words, the fruit which is carried — 

 it may be on the leaves — will not germinate, even though 

 the conditions generally are favourable. Still, with every 

 precaution taken, so minute are the bodies responsible for 

 reproduction, and so difiicult is it to be certain that all parts 

 of the plant liable to infestation are covered, that some of the 

 summer fruits are likely to find a place and go on extending 

 the disease. A second spraying in ten days or so might therefore 

 be adopted. When, however, plants in houses or outside have 

 been known to be attacked one season, it will usually pay to 

 spray early in spring, even as a precautionary measure. Many 

 gardeners omit to do this, which accounts possibly for their 

 lailure to battle with many a fungoid disease. 



As to the actual fungicide, this will vary with the nature of 

 the plant — and particularly whether it is flowers or fruit ; and 

 again whether the latter is of an age suitable to be marketed, 

 as it would obviously never do to use Bordeaux Mixture, 

 which disfigures plants or fruit treated therewith, if such were 

 ready, or even nearly ready for the salesman. Xor, again, 

 should we advise ornamental subjects to be so treated. For all 

 that there is no need to fear any ill effect, in so far as the con- 

 sumer of fruit so sprayed is concerned. In America, where Bordeaux 

 Mixture is very largely employed to keep under control those 

 fungoid diseases affecting plants, a preparation of cider-vinegar is 

 used in the case of Grapes to remove the discoloration already 

 alluded to. 



A very popular notion prevails that once a plant attacked 

 with fungus dies, the trouble is at an end. This is, however, 

 far from being the case, as the majority of the most troublesome 

 diseases are tided over the resting period of the plant by the 

 winter fruits already alluded to. For this reason the grower 

 cannot be too particular in getting rid of every particle of 

 rubbish — leaves, prunings, &c., by burning, returning the ashes 



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