The Columbus journal., 1901-04-03
AND GARDEN.
MATTER0 OF INTEREST 70
A0RlCUITURIST6.

AoRlCULTURlST6.
sens Cp-to-Dsss Hints Aboot CslGivo.
sisn OF the SOD md Yissds Ihsreof-
1~osssc1l,urs. vitieulturo and H1osscul.
tara
Treatment for Celery Blight.
Charles o. Townsend, state patholo-
sist Of Maryland, says:
The great hindrance to the success
ful production Of celery in this state,
IL the disease known as Rust or Blight.
This disease Is produced BY q fungus
that attacks the leaves and stems caus-
ing them to assume . yellowish color.
with brown spots scattered over them
that increase in size. until the affected
leaves and stems die. II the conditions
are favorable for the development OF
the fungus the leaves will become at
fscted SO rapidly and to such an ex-
tent that the life Of the plant will be
destroyed. II the conditions for the
development Of the fungus are less a v
orable. only the outer leaves will die.
while the newer leaves will be but par
TALLY destroyed. The result will be a
small plant of inferior quality. During
the past two years the rust has been
so destructive in this state that q num-
Der of growers have abandoned the
raising Of this otherwise satisfactory
crop. There Is no fixed time for the
appearance Of celery rust, but 1t Is us
ually to be seen after q drought OF
longer or shorter duration, followed
by warm, damp weather. 1t must be
remembered that these weather condi-
tons alone will not produce rust. but
that the fungus spores must be pres
emit before the rust al make Its ap-
pearance.
In combating the disease therefore
1t Is necessary either to produce those
conditions under which the spores can-
not terminate. or to spray some fungi
eide upon the plants that will destroy
the spores or at least prevent them
from terminating. In order to deter
mine which method Of procedure
would be best. and for the purpose OF
finding a satisfactory remedy for the
celery rust, a number of experiments
were undertaken on the college
grounds. From a part of n OF the
celery beds four plats Of about equal
size were laid of and treated as fol-
lows: No. l was shaded, No. 2 was
sprayed with ammoniacal carbonate
Of copper, No. 3 was sprayed with o
deaux mixture while No. 1 was LETT IN
treated for comparison. In shading
No. l a framework IS inches high
was built over the plat, and e his
framework. was spread a single thick
ness of muslin which was left In place
during the hot season OF July md Az
gust. and was removed only to Work
the plants.
The ammoniacal carbonate Of cop
per used in No. 2 was made by placing
one ounce Of copper carbonate in just
enough ammonia water to dissolve 1t
and then diluting to nine gallons with
ordinary we'll water. The amount OF
ammonia water required per ounce OF
copper carbonate. was about one hall
pint which was diluted to two quarts
before the copper carbonate was placed
in it. In plat No. 3. the Bordeaux mix
ture used was the ordinary strength
and prepared from stock solutions.
These solutions were applied with the
aid Of q knapsack sprayer.
The treatment of the celery was not
begun until the rust had made its ap-
pearance, hence the leaves that had
been attacked died In spite Of the
treatment, as was expected. showing
that the measures used must be pre-
ventiye and not curative. and should
therefore be begun before the plants
are attacked. Some of the leaves that
were not diseased before shading, be-
came affected after the shading was
done, but the plants were In much
better condition than those In plat 4,
which received no treatment. The I'M
moniacal carbonate of copper and the
Bordeaux mixture both kept the
healthy leaves free from the attacks
Of fungus, but the plants sprayed with
the ammoniacal carbonate seemed to
make a better growth than those
sprayed with Bordeaux mixture.
Whether the growth was retarded by
the Bordeaux mixture or FASTENED by
the Ammonia solution it was impos-
sible to determine. All the plants
sprayed lived, while of those not treat
ed about one half died, and the remain
ing half were smaller than the treated
plants owing to the constant attack
of the fungus and the consequent loss
of leaves. The conclusion is therefore
that the rust may be satisfactorily
controlled by spraying: that ammo
niacal carbonate promises better re-
suits than Bordeaux mixture. and that
shading, as used in these tests, is only
partially successful in preventing Gel
cry rust.