STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 167 



As to what varieties should be planted 1 do not think, in view 

 of the extensive experience of the members of the Horticultural 

 Association, I ought to express an opinion, further than to say that 

 those varieties that have done widl in :i. given locality, under ])roper 

 care, will he likely to do well again. Of course trees coninion to the 

 northern latitudes of Europe will stand the low temperature of 

 that climate, but that does not seem to be the whole (juestion. Will 

 they stand a low temperature under conditicnis found lipre? Again, 

 if the Russian varieties are, some of them, found hardy here, will 

 they prove to be desirable varieties, or even produce as good fruit 

 here as in their native clime? These are questions that can be 

 settled only by experiment. If one wants to experinunit of course 

 that is commendable, but if not, I should say again, plant what has 

 done well before with confidence that it will again. 



It is but justice that I should say here that in an examination 

 last spring of nursery stock m the Phoenix & Emmon's Nursery, 

 Bloomington, the trees two to three years old, the following Russian 

 varieties were entirely free from blackened heart: Hil)urnal, Alex- 

 ander, Yellow Transparent, Tetooka, Red Musnroom, Red Wine, 

 Earl}' Prolific. 



The following were very slightly blackened : Winter Streak, 

 Imperial Citron, Christmas, Moscow Pear. All the others were as 

 badly blackened at the heart as any of our common varieties. 



In planting trees it is not advantageous to plant such speci- 

 mens as have blackened hearts. They will, many of them, fail to 

 grow; others will make a very slow growth for a year or two and 

 then die, while others may survive and make fair trees, but the 

 growth is not as vigorous as when a healthy tree is planted. Illus- 

 trations in this seem to be needless. 



As a general rule other kinds of fruit trees are subject to the 

 same diseases and climatic conditions as are to be found o})eratingon 

 apple trees, but there are several special phases of such trees that 

 have not been investigated for want of time. 



PEAR DISEASES CAUSED BY FUNGI. 



BY F. S. EARLE. 



Von Thiinien, in his treatise on fungi affecting fruits, enumer- 

 ates twenty-three species that are known to occur on pears. There 

 are also numerous other species inhabiting parts of the tree aside 

 from the fruit. A considerable ])r()portion of all these species are 

 parasites deriving their nourishment from the living tissues of their 

 host, and are therefore more or less injurious. Four of thera have 

 caused sufficient injury to orchards in Southern Illinois to attract at- 

 tention as s})ecial ]>ear diseases. This list does not include those rot 

 producing species that attack and destroy the ripened fruit. 



