A Saratoga correspondent says: "Upon investigating into the cause of some of my roses dying, I find nothing in the soil to show any reasons for it, unless it be a white, thread-like fungus; and yet where found among the roots of the roses that were all right, it seemingly had no effect. I noticed where it was against the boards on the side of the bench, that it seemed to harden the ground and make soil appear as if mixed with flour. Is the said fungus death to plants?

"The month of April was cold; average temperature 400. May has been cold and cloudy; so far from 6 to 120 frost the first 5 days".

[It is not possible without more knowledge of the circumstances, to say whether the fungus injured the rose or not in this case. - Ed. G. M].