[Photo News Ltd. photo. Tulip fire disease can later cause spotting of the flowers, which ruins their appearance, and purpling or spotting of the leaves. The spread of this disease can be checked to some extent by keeping a very close watch for small, twisted, and distorted shoots, often covered with a fine grey mould. Those are the "primary infections" of the disease, and usually arise from bulbs which were slightly infected when planted. The primary infections appear above the ground at about the same time as the normal shoots, but stay small and distorted and finally die. However, they infect neighbouring healthy tulips with the disease if they are left, giving rise to a secondary infection on flowers and leaves. All small, malformed, or distorted shoots should be dug out very carefully with their bulbs and surrounding soil as soon as they are noticed, put into a bucket, carried away, and burned at once. That precaution will often reduce or prevent later damage to flowers and leaves.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 75, Issue 1, 15 July 1947, Page 106

[Photo News Ltd. photo. Tulip fire disease can later cause spotting of the flowers, which ruins their appearance, and purpling or spotting of the leaves. The spread of this disease can be checked to some extent by keeping a very close watch for small, twisted, and distorted shoots, often covered with a fine grey mould. Those are the "primary infections" of the disease, and usually arise from bulbs which were slightly infected when planted. The primary infections appear above the ground at about the same time as the normal shoots, but stay small and distorted and finally die. However, they infect neighbouring healthy tulips with the disease if they are left, giving rise to a secondary infection on flowers and leaves. All small, malformed, or distorted shoots should be dug out very carefully with their bulbs and surrounding soil as soon as they are noticed, put into a bucket, carried away, and burned at once. That precaution will often reduce or prevent later damage to flowers and leaves.