Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-11-21
pi.sa.s. Of cucnmbsrs.


I tried to raise a lot of cucumbers
for picking this year but the Vines
were attacked by some disease which
consisted of brown spots on the
leaves. A gardener told me 1t was
apthracnose. Can you give me any
information about it and how to pre-
vent IL next year? A. j. t.
Bloomfield
Very likely the disease was an
thracnose. This disease appears as
circular brown spots from 4 to q
inch in diameter, on the leaves Of
cucumbers and melons. These spots
at first have white centres, but in
the later stages become dead and
often tear, leaving holes In the leaves.
They are distinguishable from the
angular spots of the downy nildew
except when the latter have grown
very slowly. On the stems anthrax
nose causes elongated discolored and
shrunken areas. which finally lead
to the death of the plant. The fruit
is also often spotted. There is evil
dence that this disease lives over
winter in the dead. vines or elsewhere
in the old fields, and the destruction
of such vines, together with rotation
of crops, is recommended as means
OF prevention.
thorough spraying with Bordeaux
mixture, made up of three pounds
copper sulphate. six pounds stone
lime and fifty gallons of water. The
copper sulphafe should be dissolved
in twenty-five gallons of water by
suspending it near the surface of the
LIQUID in burlap sack or other con-
tainer. The stone lime should be
slaked thoroughly and then diluted
with the other twenty-five gallons
Of water. The two solutions should
then be poured together into a third
barrel and thoroughly stirred. 1t is
essential however, to begin early
before the disease makes its appear
ance. to spray thoroughly so that the
leaves of the plants will at all times
be covered with a thin film of the
Bordeaux, and to spray at close
enough intervals so that the new
growth will not be subject to fungus
attack.
Use for Autumn Leaves.
What can I do with the leaves
on my lawn? do not want to burn
them If. there is a use for them
around the place. We are all very
much interested in your gardening
articles. w. w. ).
Belleville.
There are many ways in which
fallen leaves may be used with profit
both to the gardener and to the gar
den. In the first place, leaves make
one of the best mulches to spread
among ornamental shrubbery and
among small fruits, such as raspber-
rjes. gooseberries and currants. Not
oniy do they prevent the heaying OF
the soil duo to alternate thawing 81
freezing during the winter, but by
their decay they add considerable
quantities of plant food to the soil.
Besides this actual food, they add
that other necessity of plant growth
vegetable matter or humus. To DO
this, however. they must be allowed
to remain permanently among the
plants or be turned under in the
spring by means of a garden fork or
A spade. Where leaves would look
unsightly during the growing season,
this turning under is the best way
to dispose of them. If it is not pos
sible to turn them under, they should
be raked off and placed upon COM
post heap.
one thing that leaves must never
BIO used for is for nulchtng such low
growing plants as strawberries, vio-
lets, English daisies and pansies. The
reason for this is that when they
become wet they pack considerably
and may smother the plants. Better
muIches for such plants are marsh
hay. straw free from weed seeds and
even cornstalks,
Another excellent use to which
leaves may be put is to pack around
coldframes and hotbeds especially
the former, to keep out frost more or
less. They should be trampled down,
so that when packed they come al
most to the tops of the frames. In
order to keep them from blowing