14 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



J. V. Cotta — The trouble is not in the root. They are nearly 

 always sound. What we need is a sound stock and top. I assert 

 that if we use such hardy stocks as Whitneys No. 20 or Duchess, 

 for three or more feet above ground, the tender top kinds will be 

 influenced thereby, and prove more hard}^ in consequence of this top 

 working. 



A Member — Do you know of any old trees so top-worked? If 

 so, what are they doing? 



Mr. Cotta — Yes ! A. R. Whitney, of Lee County, Illinois, has 

 many trees over twenty years old that are top-worked. He has had 

 good success with them. 



Mr. Lathrop — In 1865 I took roots of hardy nursery trees (two 

 to four years old) out of blue grass sod. These I top-worked, and 

 to-day they are hardy trees. In Iowa we have determined to give 

 hardy stocks a full and fair trial, and we intend to have these stocks 

 grown from hardy seeds and top-worked upon something like " Iowa 

 Blush." 



A. H. Gaston — Salome is the most wonderfully hardy of all of 

 our orchard trees, even more hardy than Snow. 



Mr. John Shank — I use only scions from trees in perfect health 

 and condition, and by careful selection of scions, and attention to 

 size and form of fruit borne by the parent tree, I believe that I im- 

 prove the size, form and quality of the fruit. This, I believe, is the 

 true road to success. 



G. W. Minier — Do you prefer old trees for scions? 



Mr. Shank — Yes! The oldest sound trees I can find. 



Dr. Hall — Is the fungi upon the foliage of our orchard trees 

 the result of a loss of foliage? or does it cause the loss of foliage? 



Mr. Cotta — Fungi is possibly the result of previous injuries. 



Mr. Milo Barnard — I move that our sessions open at 9 a. m. 

 and at 2 and 7 ^. m. Carried. 



Adjourned. 



