[30] KRICHGLAD GARDEN 
it inside of bag before tying the latter. Ordinary lead pencil will do just as well. 
Be sure that bags are completely immersed. Soak 12 to 17 hours, preferably at night 
before planting. Makes no difference if bulbs are planted wet or dry, but we prefer 
planting as soon as bulbs are taken from solution. This solution is safe to the 
hands, but is a deadly poison and must be used and disposed of with care. 
This treatment is so inexpensive and requires so little effort that everyone should 
use it, regardless of whether the planting is a few dozen or a few thousand bulbs. 
If your glads become infested during the season, cut the tops off at digging time 
and burn them. Then as soon as your bulbs are fairly well dried, treat them with 
naphthalene flakes, 1 ounce (4 level tablespoons) sprinkled on each 100 large bulbs 
or equivalent in bulk of smaller sizes, in closed bottom containers. Containers should 
be closed but not completely airtight. Closed paper bags are safe for a few weeks 
if the bulbs are dry as some moisture can escape. After four to six weeks, shake out 
any unevaporated flakes in order to avoid damage to root knobs and eye sprouts 
when they appear in the spring. 
The naphthalene treatment is to avoid thrip damage to bulbs in storage. Our ex- 
perience indicates that it is not completely effective and bulbs should be treated with 
corrosive sublimate before planting regardless of the fact that they were treated with 
naphthalene in storage. 
We have had a number of inquiries in regard to corrosive sublimate (bichloride 
of mercury) treatment where same could not be obtained in powdered form. In this 
case it is suggested that you use 1 tablet from drug store containing 7.3 grains cor- 
rosive sublimate to each pint of water. Tablets should be thoroughly dissolved in 
warm water. 
MOSAIC AND FUSARIUM YELLOWS 
Mosaic has been the subject of considerable discussion recently. We have had 
no experience with it and very little with Fusarium Yellows. However, we be- 
lieve that this discussion will cause many fans to mistake Fusarium Yellows for 
Mosaic. We understand Fusarium Yellows generally result from planting bulbs 
already infected; this infection being a browning of the core with sometimes streaks 
of discolored tissue extending from core to leaf bases. Examine your bulbs care- 
fully and if they appear to be infected, burn them at once. If such bulbs are planted, 
the stems of the plant will wither, tips of leaves begin to turn yellow and die back. 
Eventually the entire plant is affected and dies. Unless this plant and the surround- 
ing soil is removed, the fungus will spread in the soil and the following year, 
healthy bulbs planted in this soil will be affected. So far as we know, no effective 
control of Mosaic has been discovered. 
Much has been said about breeding varieties resistant to such diseases. This may 
be a proper course for the researchers and experiment stations, but for commercial 
growers and amateurs at this time, it seems much more sensible to avoid the spread 
of the infection. For commercial growers, this means scientific bulb treatments and 
planting in new soil each season. We have for several years used a solution of 
commercial sulphuric acid as a dip for bulblets before planting. This is for the 
purpose of softening the husks to hasten germination but in effect, it eats away these 
husks. Long experience with this treatment enables us to practically burn the husks 
off without injury to bulblets. In burning away the husks, we believe we have a 
method of destroying any fungus infection that may be present. Planted in new 
soil, our planting stock seldom fails to grow lustily, even when grown from large 
bulbs, the second year from planting stock. 
