REPORT OF TUE UGRTICULTURIST 123 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



crease very rapidly by division and once the tree is infected the disease may soon 

 spread over a large area. As has been stated, the best method known of controlling 

 this blight is by cutting out the diseased parts. To do this thoroughly it is necessary 

 to begin in the winter, going over the orchard several times to be sure that all the 

 diseased wood has been observed. This should be followed up in spring and summer 

 and everything showing a sign of the blight should be cut out not less than six inches 

 below the affected part or into healthy wood. Where possihle it is wise to cut as much 

 as one foot below where there is evidence of the disease. It has been proved by ex- 

 periment that infection" is carried on the knife or saw, especially in summer, hence 

 after each branch is cut the knife should be disinfected. The disinfectant recom- 

 mended by Prof. M. B. Waite, who has given this disease very careful study and who 

 is confident that it can be controlled by taking proper care in pruning and doing the 

 work systematically and thoroughly, is ' A solution of corrosive sublimate in water, 

 one part to one thousand. Tablets may be obtained from the drug store which are of 

 convenient size for making the solution.' A sponge is carried with which to apply 

 the disinfectant. Corrosive sublimate is a deadly poison, hence should be labelled 

 ' Poison.' It should not be carried in a metal receptacle. The objection to a car- 

 bolic acid solution in water ia that it must be made very strong to be effective. 



A systematic effort is now being made in California to stamp out this disease 

 which has recently gained a foothold there. The method adopted is to cut out affected 

 branches and burn them. Wlien the body of the tree is affected it is rooted out and 

 burned. 



Fruit growers in the pear districts of Canada should combine in an endeavour 

 to control the blight Individual efforts are of little avail if neighbouring orchards 

 are neglected. 



SOOTY OR FLY-SPECK FUNGUS. 



(Leptothyrium pomi.) 



This disease was much more troublesome than usual this year, and disfigured 

 much fruit. It generally occurs in low-lying orchards, where the air is mqister and 

 is usually worst in damp seasons. This disease has been more or less troublesome in 

 the New England States, it being particularly bad in 1S96. In 1902 it caused con- 

 siderable injury in Ontario, and in the annual report of the Central Experimental 

 Farm for that year the writer gives a description of it and recommendations are made 

 for its treatment. The disease is a low form of fungus, and is apparent as sooty or 

 black, roundish patches on the apple, not unlike splashes of ink or soot. These patches 

 often run together and affect a large area of the surface and make the fruit very 

 unsightly. On these patches are frequently seen small black spots resembling fly 

 specks, which are another form of the disease. As the Sooty Fungus grows over the 

 surface of the skin, it is easily controlled if spraying is done at the right time. The 

 disease develops in summer after the first three sprayings for the apple spot have 

 been given, and it will require at least a fourth spraying to control this disease. An 

 experiment was conducted at the New Hampshire exjxjriment station a few years ago 

 to control it on pears, the last spraying with Bordeaux mixture being given on July 

 26. Of the sprayed fruit 98-9 per cent was clean, and of the unsprayed only 1-3 per 

 cent. Spraying the apples once when they are about the size of Transcendent craJ)S 

 or larger should control this disease, and if apple trees are given a fourth spraying for 

 the Apple Spot as is recommended, there should be no trouble with it. Unfortunately, 

 the Sooty Fungus spreads in storage, and fruit that is little affected when it goes into 

 storage may be considerably injured before tlie fruit is sold. Fruit affected with thi^ 

 disease is known as * Clouded Fruit ' in the trade. This disease i& usually confined 

 to the southwestern parts of Ontario, but this year the writer was shown an affected 

 specimen from near Lachine Locks, Que. 



