viruses

rdjenkins rdjenkins@bellsouth.net
Mon, 04 Jun 2007 14:22:28 PDT
In Peggie Shultz's _Amaryllis...And How To Grow Them_ (1954), she includes a treatment used by "...Mrs Fannie Heath of Mound, Minnesota..." who has cured her amaryllises of at least one virus. Mrs. Heath mixes one teaspoon of formaldehyde in a quart of water and "treats bulb, leaves, pot, also earth, once every five days for three weeks..."

The strength of the formaldehyde isn't given. I couldn't find out anything about what was available OTC in the 50s, so I'm assuming the formaldehyde used is @37% as is found easily today, though that is pure speculation.

I couldn't find anything else regarding plant virus treatment using formaldehyde, so I'm thinking this avenue has been abandonned or disproved, or has it been "below the radar" since that time? Anyone know anything about this kind of treatment?

Robert.




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