284 



INJURIOUS INSECTS AND FUNGI. 



[Dec. 189*. 



portion of the knotted up mycelium, until the advent of warm? 

 weather enables it to grow again." 



"When the fungus in its Polyactis form has established itself 

 upon a lily plant it quickly generates innumerable spores which 

 are wafted by breezes, or borne by insects and birds, and on 

 gardeners' clothes, to other plants, which become in due course 

 centres of infection. It is de-irable, therefore, to remove infected 

 plants as soon as they have become sources of infection. 



In beds of lily plants where infection is feared, or where 

 infection is noticed in its early stages, it would be useful to 

 apply very finely powdered sulphur, with a knapsack powder 

 distributor, to the plants while the sun is shining. And even 

 when the fungus has appeared somewhat extensively, the 

 application of powdered sulphur would materially tend to check 

 its progress. It is believed that it would be most advantageous 

 to syringe the lily plants, before they begin to put forth buds, 

 with a solution of sulphate of copper and lime in the proportion 

 of— 



4 lbs. of pure sulphate of copper ; 

 4 lbs. of pure lime ; 

 100 gallons of water. 



This must be put on very carefully with a knapsack liquid 

 distributor having a very fine spray jet, with the hose so- 

 managed that every part of the plant is covered with spray. 

 It should always be borne in mind, when spraying with sulphate 

 of copper solutions (Bouillies borclelaises), that it is not intended 

 to direct a stream of liquid on plants so as to wash or soak 

 them, but to cover every part of the leaves and stem with a dew 

 or mist. 



It is thought that this weak solution of sulphate of copper 

 would not in any way injure the delicate buds, if it is found 

 necessary to spray these, but trial should be made first upon a 

 few buds, and the effect upon them carefully noted. 



All the dead stalks and leaves of infected lily plants should 

 be collected and burnt, to destroy the sclerotia. The ground all 

 round the bulbs should be limed and deeply dug. Land upon 

 which diseased lilies have been grown should not be again, 

 planted with lily bulbs until at least one year has elapsed. 



A Disease of Snowdrops. 



Snowdrops are largely cultivated in some districts, notably iw 

 parts of Lincolnshire, and growers of these flowers have suffered 

 much in recent years from a disorder which has affected the 

 bulbs, causing them to decay and rot. It seems that the disease 

 is noticed after the flowering of the bulbs, and generally in the 

 second or third year. The bulbs show no signs of disease at 

 the time of planting, but after they have flowered the tops begin 

 to die, and when the bulbs are taken up a large proportion of 

 them is found to be affected. 



