634 



LIGHT FROM THE SOCIETIES. 



variety, with a central stem never clipped at the top, and 

 two lower branches on opposite sides of the trunk, one 

 not nearer to the other than 8 or 12 inches, and a third 

 branch about the same distance above the second. This 

 will so divide the growth that the top will balance itself, 

 and there will be no forks to split down if the branches 

 that start out nearly at right angles to the trunk have 

 been chosen for the formation of the top. Such trees 

 look ungainly while young, and would be the last a cus- 

 tomer would select ; if received, the first thing he would 

 be likely to do would be to trim them up, not realizing 

 that as they grow larger, the limbs come nearer together 

 by their enlarged diameter. The trunk will also shorten 

 by growth from the outside of the branches. — /. B. 

 Mitchell. Northern lo-wa /fort. Society. 



World's Fair Notes.— Notwithstanding the wet season, 

 the Horticultural Department is making rapid progress. 

 Rains have somewhat retarded the outdoor work. A 

 fine specimen of night-blooming cereus, fully 12 feet 

 high, was received from Mrs. A. C. Hurd, of Illinois. 

 Mr. Thorpe would like to obtain a dozen or more such 

 specimens, so as to be able to make a feature of them. 

 One of the courts of the horticultural building will be 

 devoted to a display of aquatics. The show promises to 

 have a very extensive and complete collection of orchids. 

 Special preparations are being made by orchid-growers 

 to have such varieties represented in bloom during the 

 months of the fair as ordinarily would be in flower in 

 midwinter and early spring. A few shipments are already 

 in, and will be cared for and treated by the department. 

 The list includes a lot of Cyfripediitm Chamberlaiyii- 

 amim and Cattleya Mendelli ; also, a small collection 

 of such varieties as Chysis bractescens and C aurea, 

 Brassia verrucosa , Brassai'oia fflctitca, Lcclia anceps, 

 L. albida, Lycctste Deppei, Barkcria elegans, onci- 

 diums, odontoglossums, epidendrums, and many others. — 

 Society of American Florists. 



Rose Diseases. — Quite an exhaustive paper on this 

 subject was presented by Prof. Byron D, Halstead before 

 the Society of American Florists at the Washington 

 meeting, from which we make extracts : 



The Black-spot. — Rose-foliage, when attacked by this 

 disease, soon develops the characteristic black spots, and 

 the leaves elsewhere become pale, and shortly fall to the 

 ground. As a result rose-houses badly infested with the 

 black-spot show but few leaves and fewer blooms. Ex- 

 periments with this fungus have been carried on suffi- 

 ciently by the New Jersey station to warrant the assertion 

 that it can be controlled by the proper use of fungicides 

 The black-spot may be held in check by the carbonate of 

 copper compound ; using three ounces of the carbonate 

 of copper, one quart of ammonia, and 50 gallons of 

 water. The spraying should be done once a week, using 

 a hose and a nozzle that gives a fine spray. The point 

 should be to wet every part of the plant and yet not drench 

 it. If many leaves have fallen from the plant they 

 should be gathered up and burned. As with many other 

 diseases, some roses are more liable to the black-spot 



than others. When possible, it is wise to grow those 

 least susceptible to the disease. 



Poifdcry Mildezi' of the Rose. — One of the oldest 

 troubles of the rose-grower is the mildew. This develops 

 very suddenly upon the foliage in the greenhouse or out- 

 side of it, giving the leaves a powdery appearance, and 

 causing them to become more or less misshapen. In a 

 mild form the foliage may be only mealy, but frequently 

 the surface becomes uneven and the whole leaf twisted. 

 If left unheeded, the enemy will ruin the plants attacked, 

 and knowing this, remedy has been found and long ap- 

 plied in the shape of sulphur in one form or another. 

 Prof. Maynard, of the Massachusetts Experiment Sta- 

 tion, finds that a small kerosene-stove is the most conve- 

 nient for this purpose , and the sulphur, by means of it, 

 is boiled in a kettle for two or three hours twice a week, 

 the house being closed during the operation. The only 

 precaution is to use no more heat than is sufficient to 

 boil the sulphur, for should it catch fire it might injure 

 the plants. 



John N. May's way to get rid of the mildew is to close 

 the house about 8 o'clock in the morning, run the tem- 

 perature up to 75°, then with a bellows fill the house 

 full of sulphur, let the house remain closed until it reaches 

 85° to 90°, then let air in gradually. A constant circula- 

 tion of air is likewise recommended for roses at all times. 

 Potassium sulphide, one ounce to two gallons of water, 

 sprayed upon the plants, has proved an effective remedy. 

 Gardeners, from long experience, have come to the be- 

 lief that rose-mildew is induced by a weak condition of 

 the plant, resulting from partial starvation, irregular or 

 excessive watering, and undue exposure to draughts of 

 cold air. 



Doivny Mildew of Rose. — Some rose-growers are 

 troubled with a second form of mildew, which differs in 

 many ways from the one just mentioned. It is less easy 

 to detect, and being more deeply seated, may do greater 

 harm before it is detected than the powdery mildew. It 

 is likewise less easy to eradicate, because it thrives 

 within the substance, while the spaenthica feeds superfi- 

 cially. The Peronospora sparsa is a close relative of 

 many serious mildews, as those of the grape, onion, 

 lettuce, spinach, and the rot of the sweet-potato. The 

 treatment for this is the same as for the anthracnose. 



Rose-Rust . — The genuine rust of the rose, similar to 

 the rust of wheat, oats and other grains, is not common 

 in our section of the country upon indoor roses. It is 

 not unlikely that it may become a pest here, as it now is 

 in California and other states of the Union. Those who 

 are familiar with the rust of the blackberry need no 

 further words of general description. It causes even the 

 canes to become blistered, knotted and otherwise dis- 

 torted, the whole being covered with a mass of orange- 

 colored spores. Cut and burn all affeeted parts. 



Rose-A!!thrac7iose. — Many sick rose-plants that have 

 beenisent to me for inspection have exhibited only one 

 species of fungous disease, namely a gloesporium. When 

 a rose is badly infested with this fungus the leaves are 

 small and pale and the canes die at the tips ; sometimes 



