American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1878-02-02
Diseases of Room Plants.

The leaves of plants when in a nor
mally healthy state are generally of
deep green color, but when diseased
they become yellowish or white. In the
majority of cases such diseased ap-
pearance is produced by an excess of
light or lack of it, too much or too lit
tie water, unsuitable, overrich, or i'm
poverished soil, or lack of drainage.
When the discoloration first shows it.
self-and this is generally on the young
er shoots-the condition of the roots
should be asceFtained by turning the
plant out of the pot. If the roots are
healthy and fill the ball, or appear over
crowded, the discoloration indicates
lack of nutriment, or too little or too
remedied by shifting the plant into a
larger pot, or watering the plant with
liquid manure. If excess or lack of
/ light is the cause, reference must be had
| to the character of the plant. Ferns,
| selaginellas, and plants of similar char
acter that naturally grow in shady
/ places become pale or yellowish when
grown in bright light, while those whose
habitat is in open, exposed situations be-
come discolored when not having a suf-
ficieney of light. In either case, when
! grown in pots, plants are more liable to
become diseased through this cause than
when grown in the open air. The rem
edy, of course, is only to shift the posi-
ton of the plant and place it where the
! light will better suit its nature.
If the ball is not filled with roots, and
they do not appear to be fresh and
healthy, the discoloration in all proba-
bility proceeds from excess of moisture
or unsuitable soil To remedy the first,
see that the drainage outlet is kept free
and unchecked, if after week or two
this does not effect a change, then it is
probable that the diseased appearance
arises from unsuitable soil. Some
plants, such as azaleas, camelias, and
rhododendrons, in such case will not
throw out single rootlet from the ball
into the new soil, but gradually die back
or make but weakly, spindling shoots.
If the discoloration has been produced
by bad drainage, excessive watering, or
unsuitable soil, and is of such long
standing as to cause the roots to decay,
or the soil has become sour, the proper
remedy is to shake off all the earth
from them and wash them by shaking
them thoroughly in clean water, cutting
off the decayed parts with sharp knife,
and replanting into light fresh earth,
and seeing that the drainage is kept
free. Rich soil or large pots should not
be used; the latter should be but little
larger than the diameter of the roots
When the roots are well developed the
plant may be shifted into larger pot
and richer soil. The leaves of plants
from warm countries for in
stance-will sometimes become yellow
when exposed to low temperature, es-
pecially when accompanied with much
moisture; the remedy in this case is
either to raise the temperature or de.
crease the amount of water given.
Sometimes the discoloration is caused
by insufficiency of water, which causes
the roots to shrivel up 1t may also
proceed from giving too much water at
one time, and then letting the ball be-
come dry, or by only giving enough OF
water to moisten the surface of the soil
for an inch or two, while below it may
be as dry as powder. Carefulness and
watchfulness are the only modes of pre-
venting injury to the plants from such
causes. When the leaves of deciduous
plants fall off as their season of rest APP
proaches, they should be placed in a
lower temperature, and not have as lib
eral supply of water as when growing
If evergreen plants, such as we generally
grow in greenhouses, shed their leaves
profusely and suddenly, it indicates that
they have not light enough, or the at
mosphere is too dry; the proper mode
of treatment in such cases is self-appar-
emit.
Occasionally plants will die off sud-
denly near the surface of the soil,
although the roots, leaves and shoots
look quite healthy. This is often caused
by the collar of the PLAINTIFF part
where the roots are joined to the stem
being set too deep into the soil. Water
ing with very cold water when the soil
in the pots has been exposed to the sun
also causes them to die off suddenly
Plants in pots should never have the
pots exposed to the full blaze of SUM
shine, especially in the middle of the
day. The crowns of herbaceous plants
that have been kept dry, or COMPARE
lively so, during their season of rest,
will rot away if the balls of roots are
too literally supplied with water They
should be kept in the shade, and but
sparingly supplied with water, and that
rather tepid, until they develop a leaf
or two.
Some plants, especially roses, when
kept in rooms, are very apt to become
widowed, to the certain destruction of
the leaves and flower buds As soon as
it shows itself the leaves should be
washed with soap and water, rinsed of,
and flour of sulphur busted on with a
dredging-box or pepper-box, washing
it off after it has been on for two or three
days.
The whole art of keeping plants in
rooms is to provide an equable, moist
temperature, light according to the ma
ture of the plants, regular moderate
watering, good drainage, suitable soil,
cleanliness, and an avoidance of all sud-
den cheeks or shocks to the plant either