STATS POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. I05 



1909 the growers were demanding some substitute for the bor- 

 deaux as the most satisfactory way out of the difficulty. 



3. Serious epidemics of fire Wight in several nursery sec- 

 tions of the State had broken out and the nurserymen desired 

 to know what measures might be taken to reduce the losses. 

 The spraying of nursery stock for the control of leaf blights, 

 etc., which were often destructive, was rarely practiced though 

 the need was evident in most nurseries. 



4. The ravages of the fire blight especially in the pear 

 orchards along Lake Ontario were becoming increasingly alarm- 

 ing and threatened the destruction of the industry in certain 

 sections, while its appearance in the twig blight form on apples 

 in many localities was causing marked apprehension on the part 

 of the apple growers. 



5. The increasing interest in apple growing was directing 

 attention to the neglected orchards of the State and information 

 on the nature and control of the apple tree canker was con- 

 stantly being called for. 



The above were but a few of the fruit disease problems de- 

 manding our attention. The resources available for meeting 

 the situation were pitifully inadequate. Each problem called 

 for the undivided attention of one or more men for a period 

 of from two to several years. With only one assistant and $800 

 in 1907 with which to meet these demands and with a large 

 number of students to be taught in addition, the prospect of 

 getting results of any great or immediate value to the growers 

 was most discouraging. 



A NEW POINT OF VIEW. 



For a year or two I lived, like my colleagues, in the hope 

 that increasing appropriations by the state legislature would 

 afiford means for meeting the problems which in increasing num- 

 bers pressed for solution. Material increases in the annual 

 budget for our work came but these were so inadequate for 

 the work demanded of us that I soon began to realize that we 

 could not hope to receive sufficient support from the State to 

 meet the situation, certainly not within the period of our ambi- 

 tious youth. What our growers needed and demanded of us 

 was some immediate assistance in the solutions of their diffi- 

 culties. 



