216 



THE GARDENERS' MAGAZINE, 



March 16, 1912. 



A DISEASE OF SWEET 



PEAS, ETC 



(Concluded from page 207.) 



mptoms of the 



Orchids. 



ea.se in 



I have only observed the disease on cul- 

 tivated species of oyprii>ediura, of which 

 abundant material was sent to Kew, and it 

 was stated to be present on most of the 

 plants occupying a large house. I'lie roots 

 are attacked*^ first, then the bases of the 

 leaves, which gradually become brown and 

 finallv assume the condition of a soft rot, 

 when"^the whole plant falls over. The snow- 

 white Milowia fruit was produced in abun- 

 dance when the decayed portions were placed 

 under favourable conditions tor its growth. 

 It was in all probability the spores of this 

 condition of the fungus that spread the 

 disease from one plant to another in the 

 house, the minute spores being dispersed by 

 wind, syringing, etc. 



best means of checking root-rot of tobacco 

 in seed be^s. Having proved that infeeted 

 soil is the usual source of injury, and that 

 heating such soil to a temperature of 90 deg. 

 C. does not completely eradicate the disease, 

 comparative tests were made by using ordi- 

 nary garden soil, pure -sand, and volcanic 

 ash or pumice for seed beds. The plants 

 grown in garden soil were badly infected, 

 seed beds of sand proved very efficient in 

 controlling the disease, volcanic ash gave the 

 best results of all, both in arresting the 

 disease, and in the rapid and vigorous 

 growth of the seedlings. This result is 

 partly due to the absence of humus, 

 which favours the continuous growth of the 

 fungiu^ in soil containing organic matter^ 

 and also to the physical conditions of such 

 Hoil, 



The author suggests the use of coal asUeg, 

 volcanic scoria, or uaturally or artificially 

 powdered volcanic rocks, as suitable for the 

 formation of seed beds. 



Preventive 



easures. 



It is practically impossible to cure a plant 

 that is once injected, as the mycelium is 

 located in the living tissues of the root, and 

 no substance is known that will check or kill 

 such mycelium, without at the same time 

 killing or materiallv injuring the host^plant. 

 Hence the only means of checking the on- 

 slaught of the fungus is by the adoption of 

 preventive measures. The majority of cases 

 of disease are obviously due to infected land. 

 No evidence of the presence of spores on peas 

 or other seeds is forthcoming, and would not 

 be expected to occur, when it is remembered 

 that the fungus, as a parasite, confines itself 

 to the root and collar of the stem. Infec- 

 tion of the soil may be brought about by 

 various means. When a diseased crop is 

 grown the roots in most instances become 

 thoroughly decayed, and too friable to re- 

 move even if an attempt was made to do so. 

 It is on such decayed roots that the Toriila 

 or resting-spore stage of the fungus grows, 

 oonsequentlv the soil becomes iniected, and 

 even if a t^Vop of some kind is afterwards 

 grown that the fungus cannot attack, it finds 

 host-plants in tlio' various kinds of weeds 

 growing along with the cro]). In additioiT, 

 when it is remembered that the fungus can 

 pass through its complete course of develop- 

 ment as a pure saprophyte, feeding on the 

 humus present in the soil, it will be readily 

 understood that, when land is once infected, 

 the fungus is quite capable of holding its 

 ground, and of quickly extending its area of 

 devastation, unless prompt measures are 

 taken. Tlie infection of a new area is in the 

 imajority of instances due to the use o: 

 manure, on which material the fungus flour- 

 ishes and reproduces itself at a very rapid 



Commercial formalin (= 40 per cent, for- 

 maldehyde) has proved to be the most effec- 

 tive fungicide for sterilising infected soil. 

 In the United States, where Tliielavia proves 

 very destructive in causing a root-rot of 

 tobacco seedlings, the soil of the seed-beds 

 is thoroughly soaked with a solution of for- 

 malin in water, in the proportion of one 

 pint of formalin to twelve gallons of water. 

 One gallon of the mixture should be allowed 

 for each square foot of the surface. After 

 the watering is completed the soil should l^e 

 covered for two or three days with coarse 

 sacking or canvas, to keep in the fumes, 

 llie watering should be done after all dig- 

 ging has been done and when the seed beds 

 are in a condition ready for sowing, and a 

 week or ten davs should intervene between 



the soaking of '^the soil and the sowing of 

 seed, to allow for the complete escape of the 

 formalin fumes and for the drying of the 

 soil. 



WTien green manure is dug into land in- 

 tended for seed beds it f^hould previously be 



thoroughly watered with formalin as advised 

 above. 



Professor Benincasa has quite recently 

 conducted a series of experiments as to the 



FANCY PERPETUAL 

 FLOWERING CARNATIONS. 



From the princess down to the factory 

 girl all womankind, more or less, are the 

 slaves of fashion. This is not restricted 

 solely to the adornment of their person. 

 Fashions in flowers are almost as chang 

 able as fashions in hats or hatpins. Yet 

 it is the beautiful which survives or re- 

 appears. 



It was considered proper until quite re- 

 cently to admire only flowers of self 

 colours, particularly so in such florists^ 

 flowers as roses, carnations, chrysanthe- 

 mums, etc. But fashions change, and so 

 to-day a carnation can be beautiful which 

 possesses more than one colour, and this, 

 of course, is as it should be. 



For as long as carnations have been popu- 

 lar with the people, so long have fancy 

 varieties of certain markings been held in 

 the highest esteem. The old Painted Lady 

 class in l>order carnation is represented in 

 perpetual varieties, in later years, by that 

 fine old variety Prosperity, which is, 

 perhaps, best described as a white overlaid 

 pink, and no one who has seen a perfect 

 flower of this old favourite can deny its 

 beauty. Since the days of Prosperity w^e 

 have had lots of varieties which have asp red 

 to the position it once held. Purity and 

 clearness of colour, however, w4i:ch the 

 majority lack, are quite as important to a 

 fancy as to a self. To-day w^e have a 

 worthy representative of this beautiful 

 class of carnation flower in Mrs. Tatton. 

 This is one of those varieties w^hich has 

 never received the attention it deserves, 

 and is not found in quite half the cata- 

 logues. Yet it is one of the best varieties 

 yet raised in Great Britain. Its superiority 

 over any other variety with similar mark- 

 ings, such as Lucille, Conquest, Apple Blos- 

 som, etc., wdll be quickly recognised by an3'- 

 one w4io has grown them all under the same 

 conditions as I have. 



Then wo have in all classes of carnations 

 those lovely fancy varieties, white, marked 

 pink or red. Old Alice Tyers, in the borders, 

 long maintained its popularity^ and Mrs. 

 Bradt, in the perpetual section, w^as popu- 

 lar for years in America, being supplanted 

 by Mrs* M. A. Patten, which was very 

 popular wath tlie florists in its day. Jes- 

 sica and Bay State, one white, flaked pink, 

 the other white, flaked red, had a brief 

 reign, but both lacked freedom. This sea- 

 son w'e have Wivelsfield Wonder, a white, 

 flaked pink, which is a seedling from Mi's. 

 Bradt, and has been voted the best in this 

 scheme of colouring. Benora, a white, 

 flaked red, is coming from America, and 

 promises well. 



Now we are obtaining quite a number of 

 yellow ground or fancy yellow varieties in 

 the perpetual flow^ering carnation section. 

 Canary Bird, yellow, flaked pink, of Ameri- 

 can origin, is perhaps the best of these; 

 while there is also Orpheus, yellow, pen. 

 cilled carmine and white. This season 

 brings w^ith it Sunstar, yellow, with pale 

 pink and white markings, w^hich promises 

 to be popular. 



When we think of fancy carnations we 

 group with them heliotropes, but surely 

 Mikado should be grouped as a self colour. 

 However, we w^ill deal with this new and 

 delightful group here. 



Mikado was the forerunner, and mainly 

 through its good qualities this new colour 

 has become popular w^ith practically all 

 associated with the flower. We now have 

 heliotrope selfs and fancies. Of the latter 

 Salome and La Mode are the principals, 

 and their extent of beauty is purely a 

 matter of taste. But even the florists use 

 this class of flower, so that there can be 

 no doubt as to their future. Geisha is 

 an aspirant which has undoubtedly gained 

 greater popularity in a short time than any 

 similar variety, and this is well deserved. 

 The flow^ers have excellent form, and are 

 of a delightfully light shade. It has, like 

 all heliotropes, an underlying colour, which 

 is more prominent in the young flowers. 

 The new Fairmount is undoubtedly the 

 most serious rival Mikado has, it being supe- 

 rior in almost every respect. The colour is 

 more solid, and has a perfect French grey 

 finish. The flowers are larger, and the 

 habit of growth more robust, 

 the selection in this 



So 



see 

 colour in 



in 



perpetuals 



IS 



new 

 being 



we 



class of 

 rapidly 



shade. 



extended. 



The purple carnation does not appeal 

 to all, yet it undoubtedly has its place, 

 and, mixed with other colours, such as 

 white or yellowy gives an unique efFect,whiie 

 under artificial light they are superior to 

 crimsons, assuming a gloriously rich claret 



Vinca and Royal Purple are the 

 best representatives of this class. The 

 latter variety is generally considered the 

 best. The colour is more free from 

 magenta, and the habit of growth much 

 freer. 



There are other fancy varieties, such as 

 Mrs. T. M. Crook, Helen M. Gould, Impe- 

 rial, etc., which are distinct from all others, 

 and have their respective charms which 



appeal to many. . , 



Marmion and Lady Audley Neeld rival 

 each other for superiority, and are gene- 

 rally grouj^ed as perpetual flowering Mai- 

 maisons. The massiveness of their flowers 

 and the decisiveness of the marking g 

 an unique effect. The general description is 

 white, overlaid cherry-red. However, tnis, 

 or, indeed, any description, cannot cnnve 

 to' the reader the colour and efF^^t 

 fancy flower. Marmion undoubtedly p 

 duces the finer flowers, and Lady Auaie 

 Xeeld has a better habit of growth. 

 From the foregoing it will be seen W 



in quite a few years the ""i^^^f , ,u"r^, 

 varieties has increased, and s^i'^ J* , , " 

 such as the new Mandarin and 

 which are practically terra-cotta ^^^\.J 

 promise to add to this already large i ^ 

 which would not exist if there was no 



of a 



market for them. . nrenie 



The effect at a distance is the supi 

 test of a fancy variety— whether 

 effect is muggy or clear and ^^tTactive^ ^.^ 

 many are only examined closely, t 



tant effect being ignored, ^^1"^*'. '^fsoBie 

 them useless for decorative worK, °" .^p^e 

 varieties look more beautiful at a a 

 or under artificial light. .,,woop- 



