332 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



fruit for market, he said that size aud quality should be the distinguishiug 

 marks, which would require that apples and pears should be counted, the 

 same as oranges were sold. A fruit-packing association for western New 

 York, with headquarters in Rochester, could do much toward creating a 

 standard and improving the manner of putting up fruits. He advocated 

 the grading of cheese and butter as well as fruit, and the establishment of 

 brands, so that buyers could recognize the quality of the article. 



Mr. S. D. WiLLAED emphasized the importance of grading fruit. He 

 would no more put a second-class pear into a ])ackage marked "first-class" 

 than he would put his finger into the iire. His fruit was sold entirely on 

 the reputation of the brand. 



THE CLEMATIS DISEASE. 



Prof. J. H. CoMSTOCK read a very interesting paper on this subject, and 

 several illustrated charts served to add greatly to the instructiveness of it. 

 The roots of the plant are eaten by thread-worms, which cause an abnormal 

 growth of the roots. The range of the plants affected by this worm is very 

 great. It is estimated that it eats the roots of 75 different plants. In fact, 

 there is scarcely a plant on the roots of which this worm can not live. It 

 infests the roots of nearly all vegetables in the garden and the depredations 

 are most serious. Prof. Comstock recommends careful selection of soil in 

 planting flowers and vegetables, and the thorough cleaning of pots and 

 boxes when transplanting plants. 



Mr. Beonson asked if the insect was prevalent upon plants that had 

 become established. 



Prof. Comstock thought such plants should be strong enough to with- 

 stand it. Serious results followed the planting of clematis on old asparagus 

 beds. 



Mr. Lamb asked if they penetrated the* roots of young fruit trees. 



Prof. Caldwell replied in the affirmative, and added that the wooly 

 aphis made root galls, but he had heard more of this trouble in the south. 

 He had never investigated the woolly aphis very thoroughly, but he had 

 tried to destroy it upon trees in old grounds and found that it cost more 

 than it was worth. 



Replying to inquiries regarding the insect in clematis, Prof. Comstock 

 said its life was short, but it was difficult to state how long — probably about 

 a month or six weeks. 



Mr. J. G. Glenn asked if clematis growers had noticed whether the dis- 

 ease had attacked the native varieties, such as Virginiana or Coccinea, as 

 much as the imported one. 



Mr. Robeet Ades had Coccinea and Crispa near to other varieties and 

 had discovered no disease. At one year old the disease was not prevalent. 



Prof. Bailey said that tomatoes, cucumbers, etc., grown under glass, 

 were likely to be attacked by root galls. He lately received a sample from 

 a man who had lost a whole house full of tomatoes. Cucumbers were likely 

 to be taken oft' every winter. This was a new class of animals and seemed 

 to open up a new field and a whole new science. The soil must be changed, 

 taking everything out of the house and place an application on the 

 benches, as recommended by Prof. Comstock. It was a much safer plan to 

 raise plants in boxes or pots, and then the pests could be controlled. 



Have any varieties of peach been more exempt from damage by freez- 

 ing than others? was asked by Mr. Snow. 



