168 TRANSACTIONS OF THE HOETIGULTURAL 



or vegetable, though dead, would never decay or decompose, — they 

 would endure for ever, unless buraed by fire ; and we should see the 

 iuimense accumulation of trunks of fallen trees in our forests and 

 vegetable production as obstructions, in place of forming vegetable 

 mold for future growths. The bodies of animals would remain like 

 mummies for all time. The processes of nature run in a circle, 

 without these, man could not live on the earth. 



Directly are we indebted to bacteria in many ways, some of 

 which we will name : Yeast bread making, vinegar making, sour 

 krout, rotting of flax, bleaching of linen and cotton, etc. What 

 wonders the microscope reveal to man ! Without it, Pasteur, of 

 France, could never have discovered a vaccination for some of the 

 most fatal diseases of men and animals, practically subduing them. 

 Why not discover a vaccination for apple-trees ! Oh, what a pleas- 

 ure there is in the use of the microscope. Many a day have we 

 spent with our's examining the objects of nature, bringing to our 

 enraptured sight the wonders we had never conceived of before. Now, 

 in conclusion, we think we have given a practical and concise 

 account of the cause and probable cure for our deceased orchards, 

 but no doubt many will be startled with these facts as we believe 

 them to be and, it may be, some will believe nothing of it; it is, no 

 doubt, a new theory to many. It is original with us, as we do not 

 remember of ever hearing or reading of it before as applied to apple- 

 trees, but we believe scientific and thorough investigation of coming 

 years will prove it, and that if vve will faithfully go to work and 

 spray our trees with arsenical, carbolic, caustic, or any other solution 

 that will kill these bacteria or disease germs, we shall succeed. 

 Brother farmers and horticulturists, let us try it and experiment 

 until we do succeed ! 



We believe the time will come, yea, is close at hand, when we 

 shall again raise thrifty, beautiful and fruitful orchards in Central 

 Illinois and all along this diseased fruit-tree belt — when we be- 

 come sufficiently intelligent regarding the nature, culture and 

 disease of our fruit trees, so we can and will act intelligently, 

 and consequently successfully and effectually in rearing and saving 

 our orchards. How true that "an ounce of prevention is worth 

 a pound of cure." Again, we say, the best and proper way to 

 live so as to avoid disease, is to follow nature's laws, casualities and 

 pestilence aside, man, and fruit trees as well may live to a ripe old 

 age and die a natural death. Thanks for the growing intelligence 

 of this age, that by the aid of science and modern research, physical 

 suffering is becoming less and the causes of diseases and ills that 

 have heretofore baffled the skill of man, are now known and a cure 

 easily effected. As man brings the compound microscope to his aid 

 in bringing myriads of organism to view to study their life, habits 



