142 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



to extend its area, and that if not removed it will soon involve 

 the entire tree, so that the Italian peasants have for centuries 

 been practicing the system of cutting right out of the trunk of 

 trees all the diseased wood. They do not disinfect it or treat it 

 with anything, but they remove the agent which encourages the 

 disease. Here we have an old olive tree in which all the cen- 

 tral portion has been dug out. The continuance of that prac- 

 tice results in a very curious looking tree. Here the interior 

 of the tree has gradually been removed and we have these rem- 

 nants, with a top which after all gives a considerable amount 

 of olives. The principle is the removal of the diseased portion. 

 We could improve on that by applying the principles of 

 dentistry to our tree stem — take out the diseased portion, dis- 

 infect it and fill it up with something which would prevent the 

 spread of decay. They haven't got to that point. 



NURSERY WORK. 



In some parts of Europe the business of the nurseryman is 

 carried on most extensively. Thousands of bell jars are 

 employed in the growing of tender plants. With cheap labor, 

 women and boys, they are able to successfully compete with 

 nurserymen here in this country. Here is a mass of rhodo- 

 dendrons, which is truly American but which has been brought 

 over here and is being propagated successfully in great quan- 

 tities. In other words, the habits of the plant are studied. 



PLANT BREEDING. 



This picture was to me very interesting. It illustrates a type 

 of scientific work by a purely commercial firm. I wish we 

 might see in this country examples of firms engaged in horti- 

 cultural work continuing their work through direct lineage, that 

 is to say from father to son. This firm is in the sixth generation. 

 It is a firm in Paris that is an experiment station just as much 

 as any government station is. They carry on a distinct line of 

 scientific breeding, of hybridizing in their own gardens. The 

 various methods by which the plants are isolated so that inter- 

 crossing cannot take place are shown. 



In England one of the joys of country scenery is the well kept 

 hedge — the native live hedge. Nurserymen's grounds in Eng- 



