432 Agricultural Experiment Station, Ithaca, N. Y. 



" Final Results. — After two years, not one of the 200 trees has 

 died. Every tree treated was marked by tying a strip of cotton 

 cloth on a south side branch next to the trunk of the tree. These 

 marks still remain. Only last week I dug away the earth from 

 about twenty of these marked trees, and found dead knots only — 

 a specimen of which I brought with me, that members of this 

 convention interested might see for themselves. The trees 

 treated for root-knot now look as clean and healthy as those not 

 treated — no difference can be seen — they all made a splendid 

 growth last year and no hner trees can be seen in our section of 

 the same age. In the light of these facts, I consider the treat- 

 ment with bluestone, in the manner herein described, a success. 

 Even if the knots should reappear after three or four years, it 

 would still be profitable to apply this remedy to keep the knot 

 growth in check. The cost of application need not be more than 

 three to five cents a tree, and the bluestone used is so trifling in 

 quantity that it need not be considered in the bill of expense. My 

 treatment of root-knot has always been in the fall months of the 

 year. Whether other seasons would do as well or better I am not 

 prepared to say. 



" Suggestions. — In using this remedy, my advice is to make 

 the bluestone solution as strong as the water will dissolve. 



" In applying the solution be sure that it penetrates the core 

 of the root-knot. 



" If the knot is on the main stem of the root, so as to be easily 

 accessible, I would advise to knock it off and puncture the soft 

 core repeatedly with any pointed implement. Then apply the 

 solution with a swab. Be sure to have the solution penetrate the 

 diseased wood." 



This experiment, as here reported, is by no means a proof that 

 the sulphate of copper is a cure for the root-gall. Mr. Smith 

 simply reports that the treated roots did not again develop galls; 

 but if Sorauer's hypothesis of the formation of these galls is cor- 

 rect, we should expect that they would not return if once removed. 

 Mr. Smith should have left some trees untreated from which the 

 knots had been removed; and he should also have determined if 



