No. 6. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 797 



The Pi'ofessoi' added llia( lie is making- a liiai oi lUv lime. «iilj)luir, 

 soda solution al present, but is unable now to tell the result, as hJH 

 experiment is not tinished. This remedy should not be used in sum- 

 mer, but wlialc oil sonp or Urrosene solution should be used then. 



The regular program of business was resumed at the close of the 

 experiment made by Prof. Surface. 



Inquiry having been made concerning crown gall, the Secretary 

 read the following letter: 



^'Washington, D. C, Jan. 18, 1904. 



"Mr. E. B. Engle, Secretary State Horticultural Association of Penn- 

 sylvania, Box 607, Harrisburg, Pa.: 



"Dear Sir: Mr. Woods has referred to me fur attention your letter 

 of January 13, relating to crown gall. - 



"While we have been studying this disease to some extent and are 

 planning some experiments directed toward its control, there has 

 been no very material progress during the past year. However, I 

 might call your attention to some matters in relation to this trou- 

 ble. In our Eastern orchards and nurseries most of the crown gall 

 is on the apple, while in the South and West, especially in the far 

 Southwest, the disease is very se ious on the stone fruits as well as 

 the apple. To the orchardist we may say. reject all crowa gall nur- 

 sery stock. Do not plant them in the orchard. Make a careful in- 

 spection or examination of all trees, especially apples, to avoid let- 

 ting any of the gall slip in. There is another trouble with apples, 

 resembling somewhat crown gall in its eifects, which is probably re- 

 lated to it. This is the so-called hairy root of the apple. The typi- 

 cal hairy root has an extra number of fibers growing directly out of 

 the crown of the tree or the main tap root, sometimes scattered on 

 the tap root, but more frequently originating from little clusters 

 which seem to start from a warty growth or perhaps from a small 

 (trown gall. In some cases there is a large crown gall covered with 

 these fibrous roots. There are all grades between the clean, smooth 

 galls and the typical hairy root. We think all this kind of stock 

 should be rejected in planting orchards. 



"The problem, then, is for the nurseryman to grow clean stock. 

 Since crown gall stock will be rejected by the State inspectors or 

 the orchardist, it falls upon the nurseryman to avoid this disease 

 as much as possible in his nursery blocks. We regret to say that 

 we can give little assistance at the present time to the nurseryman 

 on this problem, but suggest that nurserymen give special atten- 

 tion to the source of supply of their seedlings. Notice the condition 

 carefully of these seedlings, especially the presence or absence of 



