IX 



PESTS 



165 



is not affected by it and that it does not seem to do much 

 harm to the next year's growth, and partly because there 

 appears to be no remedy short of cutting off the attacked 

 shoots and burning them, this pest is very little heeded 

 by nurserymen or even by amateurs, and I confess I 

 take no notice of it and have never found it do my 

 summer blooms any practical injury. 



It is plain, however, that the loss of the leaves, in 

 what is but little past the middle of summer, must be a 

 considerable check to the plants, and it seems probable 

 that we hardly know how good and strong the Victor 

 Verdier race (which is always more or less affected 

 with me) would be, if it were not for this pest. 



As the growth of the fungus is within the membranes 

 of the rose plant there seems to be actually no remedy 

 short of cutting off the orange-spotted leaves and shoots 

 in early summer and burning them ; but I think gentle 

 rubbing with finger and thumb with a pinch of sulphur 

 is likely to do good in the early stages. 



On light soils, especially those rich in humus or 

 vegetable matter like an old garden, the attacks are less 

 frequent. They are worst in a dry hot August on heavy 

 lands which have not had much farmyard manure. It 

 would be almost impossible to stamp out the fungus, as it 

 is much more frequent than mildew on the wild briar. 

 The Dog-Rose in fact seems to be its natural host, though 

 it is sometimes found on other plants. Manetti stocks 

 themselves are rarely troubled with it, though it often 

 comes first on the Roses budded on it, but seedling briars 

 often suffer much and are seriously crippled by its 

 attacks. 



I can suggest no other remedies than finger and 

 thumb or cutting off and burning in the early stages, 

 and diligent hoeing, with watering if necessary, in early 



