Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1901-03-28
FARM AND GARDEN.
MATTERS or INTEREST TO
ORICULTURIsT6.
eons Up-ts-Dsss Hints About Csitivs-
tien Of the Soil and Yields Thereof
HORTICULTURE. viticuiturs and Fisricai-
tur&
rr.a,n.o, for Celery Blight

gist OF Maryland, says:
The great hindrance to the success
ful production OF celery in this state.
Is the disease known as Rust or Blight.
This disease is produced by fungus
that attacks the leaves and stems caus-
Ing them TO assume a yeilowish color.
with brown spots scattered over them
leaves and stems die. II the conditions
are favorable for the development OF
the fungus the leaves will become al
fected SO rapidly and to such an ex-
tent that the life Of the plant will De
destroyed. II the conditions for the
development OF the fungus are less fav-
orable, only the outer leaves will de-
while the newer leaves will be but par
TALLY destroyed. The result will be
small plant OF inferior quality. During
the past two years the rust has been
so destructive in this state that 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 a drought OF
longer or shorter duration, followed
by warm, damp weather. II must be
remembered that these weather condi-
tons alone will not produce rust, but
that the fungus spores must be pres
ent before the rust can make its APP
pearance.
In combating the disease therefore
ii is necessary either to produce those
conditions under which the spores can
not terminate. or to spray some fungi
eide upon the plants that VIII 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, number OF experiments
were undertaken On the college
grounds. From a part Of one OF the
celery beds four plats of about equal
size were laid off and treated as TO-
lows: No. l was shaded, No. was
sprayed with ammoniacal carbonate
Of copper, NO. 8 was sprayed with Bor-
deauX mixture while No was lett I'M
treated for comparison. In shading
No. ! a framework Is inches high
was built over the plat, and over this
framework. was spread a single thick
ness Of muslin which was left in place
during the hot season of July and Au-
gust. and was removed only 10 work
the plants.
The ammonlacal carbonate of cop
per used in No. 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 half
pint which was diluted TO two quarts
before the copper carbonate was placed
in 1t. In plat No. g. the Bordeaux mix
ture used was the ordinary strength
and prepared from stock solutions.
These solutions were applied with the
aid OF knapsack sprayer.
The treatment of the celery was not
begun until the rust had made Its ap-
been attacked died In spite OF the
treatment, as was expected, showing
that the measures used must be pre-
ventive and not curative, and should
therefore be begun before the plants
are attacked. Some of the leaves that
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 am
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-
sble TO determine. All the plants
sprayed lived, while of those not treat
ed about one ha died, and the rema n
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 satisfac oiiy
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 cell
cry rust.