Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1869-05-05
DISEASES OF GROWING PLANTS.

Most growing plants are SUBJECT
to diseases, as other enemies. Dis
ease is the result of deranged vital
action, and is brought about by pre-
disposing and exciting causes. These
predisposing causes may be various.
Whatever tends to diminish the
natural yigor of a plant, whether it
be want of proper nourishment,
excessive stimulation, continued
propagation without intermixture
with other varieties Of the same
species or changing the kind of seed
planted. any one, or all of these
combined, may be predisposing
causes.
Exciting causes differ in this res
pect, that it is a cause acting sudden
ly upon weakened constitution,
producing such Il change in vital
action as to excite distinct form
of disease exciting causes may be
sudden changes of temperature, hot
and damp weather at unusual sea-
sons, sudden changes of the electri-
cal condition of the air, mechanical
violence, etc.
Many plants are subject to a par
asitic or fungus disease such dis
ease is where another plant of a
different nature fastens itself upon
the plant and grows, deriving its
sustenance from the life of the par
ent plant /; the Tungi may be mildew
on the grape and other plants, pota-
To blight on the potato, smut and
ergo, on grain, ETC., red rust, etc.
Ordinary plants, as all know, are
green, derive their nourishment
from the soil and air, drinking in
water, which holds in solution the
necessary elements of the plant, and
that these elements are elaborated
Ind assimilated under the influence
OF the light and heat of the sun !;
such plants have their beginning
in a seed. Not so with these fungus
plants, their beginning is IA cell.
often called spore these cells
T;t,ten themselves To growing plants,
Increase in size, divide, and often
are transported on the Wind and
alighting on other plants produce
what We term mildew, smut, mold +,
etc, etc. Now IA perfect healthy
plant, without any predisposing
cause, is capable of resisting, To a
great extent, the encroachment of
any of these parasitic or fungus
plants, the same as the strong, heal
thy human system is capable of
itsislifiR the III INC atIuoS-
phere. III a plant is any ways weaken
ed il Is very liable to have these dis
eases fastened upon it, whereas if
strong and healthy, it will resist it.
the smut of wheat il fungus and
when the wheat is threshed the skin
is broken and the fungus is scatter
ed as n black dust, each particle be-
ing cell capable of producing a
whole, these cells, or dust, fasten
upon the grain and the wheat sown,
unless the fungi is destroyed first,
will produce another crop of smutty
wheat; so in like mar ner with the
seed of other grains and plants if any
way diseased, or have the germs OF
disease attached To them, produce a
weakened plant liable to the attacks
81 other diseases, and herein il would
seem lies the duty of farmers To dill
gently guard against planting any
seed inclining to be imperfect or dis
eased, for ii will produce its like, a
weakened plant, To be attacked and
overcome by disease. And As these
fungi operate Il fferently on the sub
stance upon which they suhsist than
the higher plants do that grow in the
soil the result is that all plants in
tested with this diseased growth are
diseased, the fungus causing chemi-
cal changes in the plant upon which
1T il fastened, or comes in contact
With, resulting in this disease, or
causing il.