diseases such as "fire-blight" of Pear and "wilt" of Melons and 
Cucumbers. Rust and rot are terms applied to fungus diseases. 
Blight cannot be fought successfully by external treatment; 
rust or rot can. A good general remedy for all diseases is to 
cover the entire flower bed with sulphur, both spring and fall, 
for two years in succession, and the third year use Bordeaux 
Mixture. The sulphur or Bordeaux can be put on before the 
winter covering, and when this is taken off in the spring, another 
dusting of sulphur is given. This can be worked in with the 
bone meal or other fertilizers in the first spring turning of the 
soil. Perhaps the most dreaded of blights is the sometimes 
called "Black Disease" which attacks that lovely plant, the 
Delphinium. Delphinium blight usually comes from an 
unhealthy soil and one must begin early and work late so that 
with systematic treatment the condition may be corrected. Early 
in the spring, coal ashes should be worked into the Delphinium 
bed and later, soot and wood ashes. The most specific remedy 
for the Delphinium blight and one which I have found realty 
successful is the following : 
"Four pounds lump lime, one pound powdered tobacco dust, 
one gallon water to slake the lime." 
Let the mixture boil as long as it will and add more water 
to complete the slake. When it has ceased to boil, add enough 
water to make five gallons. In applying use one quart of the 
solution to eleven quarts of water. Pour a cupful around the 
roots of each plant, repeating every ten days if necessary. For 
large plants increase the cupful to a pint. (I find it easier to 
fill a six-quart watering pot and apply the amount demanded by 
the size of the plant). I have used this same formula for the 
blight on Aeonitum, with success. 
One must be constantly on the watch for the two enemies of Iris 
the Iris- — rot and the borer (Macronoctua onusta). The rot Enemies 
may be caused by too deep planting, by lack of lime in the soil, 
by poor drainage. Always dust off the flower stem carefully; 
rot is apt to start there. One can tell the rot by the brown 
leaves and very unpleasant odor. The best treatment is to dig 
up, cut out the infected portion, wash what is left of the 
rhizome with formaldehyde and re-set in fresh soil if possible. 
Lime, soot or wood ashes can be worked into the old soil. Be 
sure to burn all leaves and infected parts. The first sign of the 
Iris borer is seen on the leaf, where the larva begins to eat and 
then works its way down to the rhizome. The eggs are laid by 
a dull velvety brown moth at the base of the old leaves or on the 
rhizome, and they begin to hatch during the blooming season. 
The larva is a dirty white grub, often If inches long, and after 
eating its fill, it buries itself about an inch deep in earth to 
pupate. The chrysalis is about an inch long and a shining 
bright brown in color. The cycle is completed when the moth 
223 
