STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 100 



letter, and the editor's advice to thin out the limbs, may be found on the first page 

 of the number for October, 1846. At that time, apples were hauled by wagon from 

 Crawford county to Chicago, and it was desirable to have them sound when they arrived 

 there. 



" I have heard of the bitter rot occasionally for many years, especially in Southern 

 Illinois and Missouri. My impression is, that I have rarely or never heard of it north 

 of 40° latitude, and that usually it is more than a degree farther south. I have always, 

 so far as I remember, found it only in the Mississippi Valley. This would tend to show, 

 if I am correct, that we must seek in the climatic and other conditions of the lower 

 valley of the Mississippi for the conditions of the disease. 



" These favorable conditions, so far as I have observed them or obtained the 

 experience of others, are excess of moisture, or rather long-continued moisture, 

 especially when the temperature is high, and probably decaying or diseased trees. 

 Prof. Turner, many years ago, in a paper before this Society, mentioned inci- 

 dentally that a Baldwin apple tree, on which the fruit rotted prematurely, was 

 found, on cutting it down, to be thoroughly rotten at heart. In Clay county, I 

 was told by one person that heavily pruned trees had been more liable to the disease. 

 Old trees seem more liable to the disease than young. Dr. Horton, it will be 

 noticed, intimates that some element of plant-growth may be deficient in the soil. But 

 the prime incentive is, I have no doubt, wet weather in the growing seasons. Once 

 ' located,' however, Mr. Pullen is convinced that it remains to plague future genera- 

 tions of apples, and this, in the nature of the case, would be probable. 



" Some varieties seem to have been much more affected than others. The Willow 

 Twig, the Rambo and the Rawles' Janet are among those most complained of. The 

 Smith's Cider, Ben Davis and Wine Sap were among those most free of disease. 



"The cure or prevention of the disease, in future, is a difficult question. There is 

 some reason to suppose that bitter rot is only an intensified or virulent form of conmion 

 rot, and will disappear in many places with the return of ordinary conditions. On the 

 other hand, in some localities it has assumed apparently a permanent type, and continues, 

 year after year, to destroy the hope of the orchardist. In either case, however, the pre- 

 vention and cure would be the same, though less important if the disease is temporary. 

 Wide planting, and the consequent good ventilation, would suggest itself in planting 

 new orchards, in moist climates. The clearing away of diseased fruit from an affected 

 orchard, by hand, or by pasturing hogs in it, seems to tend to check the disease. The 

 use of ashes, salt, lime, etc., as manures, appears to have a good effect. 



" But, upon the whole, I conclude that the disease is insufficiently known, and 

 should be more studied, and I would recommend that a special committee be appointed 

 to secure the co-operation of Prof. Burrill, of our Industrial University, and Mr. Taylor, 

 of the Department of Agriculture, and make examination and report upon this subject." 



Mrs. L. S. Taylor sent in a report on the subject of Botany, which 

 was read by the Secretary, but the limit of pages for our book (350) com- 

 pels us to omit this and some other papers and discussions, that we would 

 otherwise gladly publish. 



DISCUSSION ON THE SUBJECT OF BOTANY. 



Hon. W. C. Flagg (of Moro) inquired: " What can we do to render 

 the study of Botany popular ? " He was inclined to believe that the study 

 should commence with children, and not be put off and off, and finally 

 find a place only among "high school" studies. He had succeeded in 

 interesting children in the study of plants, but he found the difficulties 

 considerable. Children may be interested, but the teachers are not plenty 



