SUMMER MEETING, 1882. 59 



E. H. Scott, Ann Arbor: This is my experience. I would not wait to see 

 how far the disease might go in the tree, but cut oil the part affected some 

 distance below the diseased part at once, upon observing it. 



Secretary Garfield : I know tliat so many remedies have been suggested and 

 so many nostrums recommended as "sovereign remedies" for blight that a 

 gathering of fruit-growers like this will always laugli at any suggestion as to 

 a remedy, still it is not best for us to entirely ignore the experience of others, 

 although we should noc swallow their conclusions. Very many believe that 

 when the wounds are made by cutting off the diseased wood that crude car- 

 bolic acid or copperas water will have a tendency to disinfect (if you will allow 

 the term), the diseased wood, if any remains, and there will be less liability to 

 a spread of the disease from this point. When we know as little of the cause 

 of any difficulty as we do of pear blight, we have no right to laugh at any- 

 body's remedy, for we cannot say but that it may be even a scientific one. 



Mr. Brassington: Are pear blight and peach yellows similar? 



Mr. Lyon : Prof. Burrill traces the two diseases to a uniform cause, 

 although wc are not far enough along in the investigation of the diseases to 

 even accept this idea as finally proved. 



No. 7. Why shake trees for curculio in the morning as recommended by the 

 books when the insects are doing their work only in the warm parts of the 

 day? 



Mr. McClatchie : To be sure the curculio must have it warm enough so he 

 is not numb in order to pursue the object of his life, still in the days of 

 early summer he can get at businews very early in the morning. This past 

 season however we have had remarkably cool nights and are still having them, 

 so the curculio remains quiet until the sun is well up. Warm mornings it is best 

 to be at the business of catching pretty early, while in cool days the best suc- 

 cess is had in the middle of the day. Some judgment is required even in so 

 small a matter as this. 



AV. A. Brown : In cool weather the Kansom chip process may supplement 

 the sheet in catching the "little Turks." 



Mr. McOlatchie : I am peculiarly situated. My plum orchard is entirely 

 isolated from all other plum orchards, and hence my plan of catching curculio, 

 although not generally applicable, serves me well. When it is time to gather 

 the annual crop of curculio I do the whole business at a single job. That is, 

 I go over my entire orchard some morning and shake off all I can get, follow- 

 ing this immediately by another round and this by a third, until I get none in 

 the sheet. Then I have no further trouble that year. Of course I understand 

 that this plan will not answer except in a case like my own where no other 

 orchards are near at hand. 



Mr Smith, Benton Harbor: I have found it necessary to use a wet sheet in 

 the middle of the day. All understand that tiie reason for doing the work 

 early in the morning is to take the insects when they can not fly readily. But 

 if a wet sheet be employed, even in the hottest day they may be gathered with- 

 out trouble. While on my feet I wish to make the observation that the cur- 

 culio are in many cases a blessing, for unless their work is done numbers of 

 trees are overloaded and ruined. People will shake off the curculio, then 

 allow every plum to hang on, the leaves will fall off and the fruit never ripen. 

 Then these same fellows will come up to meetings of our society and inquire 

 what is the cause of premature falling of the leaf, and what to do that their 

 plums may ripen. I stand here a champion for the curculio. He is a bless- 



