[Illustration:  Fungi of gladioli, lilies, etc. =Urocystis gladioli= and =Ovularia elliptica=]

==Gladiolus, Crocus, Narcissus==, and ==Lily Diseases.==—­In certain soils and situations where the ground is heavy and the atmosphere inclined to be humid the Gladiolus is very subject to a destructive fungoid disease.  This is especially the case during unusually wet summers.  The disease attacks the corm, and corrodes and decomposes the tissues, so that on cutting open a corm the whole interior, or such parts as are diseased, will be found permeated with a deep, foxy colour.  It is believed by some persons that one stage of this disease is identical with the disease named ‘Tacon’ by the French, and in this country known as ‘Copper Web,’ =Rhizoctonia crocorum=.  This =Rhizoctonia= is a mere spawn or mycelium, a mass of rusty-brown material like a thick coating of spider’s web of a red tint.  This parasite attacks the Crocus (especially =C. sativus=), the Narcissus, Asparagus, Potato, and other plants.  Immersed in the softer and damper portions of the red substance of the corm may frequently be found great numbers of large compound spores, as illustrated at A (enlarged two hundred and fifty diameters).  These bodies belong to the fungus named =Urocystis gladioli=; but whether they really belong to the spawn named =Rhizoctonia= there is no conclusive evidence, as the spores have never been seen on the threads or upon any spawn.  The spores are very ornamental objects, consisting of from three to six compacted inner brown bodies, surrounded by an indefinite number of transparent cells.  At maturity these spores break up as at B, and are the means of reproducing the fungus.

The Colchicum is attacked by a closely allied but different species of =Urocystis=—­viz. =U. colchici=.  The Ranunculaceae are attacked by another ally in =U. pompholygodes= and Rye is attacked by a third in =U. occulta=.  No method of cure has yet been published for this pest; it is, however, desirable that only sound and good corms should be planted, for if infected corms are placed in the ground it is one certain means of propagating the disease.  The bars shown across the illustration of this disease are magnificent crystals, very common in Gladiolus corms.

Lilies are very subject to a disease in early summer:  the leaves get spotted and damp, and rot off; the flower buds speedily follow, and leave the bare stalk.  The disease of Lilies is caused by a fungus closely allied to the fungus of the Potato disease, and named =Ovularia elliptica=, known also as =Botrytis elliptica= (see illustration C).  The spores are large, and produce zoospores, or spores with hair-like tails (cilia), capable of swimming about in water or upon moist places.  This pest attacks a large number of species of =Lilium=, both before and after flowering. =Hyacinthus candicans= and some Tulips suffer from a very similar, if not the same, organism.  This fungus has been described as a true =Peronospora=.  Bulbs are subject to many fungus growths as =Volutella hyacinthorum=, =Didymium Sowerbei=, &c.; many fungi follow the decay of the bulb, others undoubtedly produce or greatly accelerate decay.  No remedy is known, but we advise the purchase of the soundest and best bulbs.  Good drainage and sufficient air are indispensable.  All infected foliage and stems should be burned.