45 



It should be the policy of this Association to interest the Northern 

 experiment stations in the study of nut diseases and insects and try 

 to secure for tliem sufficient funds to see that this work is properly 

 carried on. Ultimately a nut orchard containing various nut varieties 

 should be made available for experimental spraying work. But first 

 of all a close study should be made of the habits of the fungi which 

 are causing nut diseases in our northern states. At present these can 

 be studied in part on wild hosts but this is only a temporary expedient, 

 for their behavior, as I have intimated before, may be quite different 

 on cultivated nuts. 



The necessity of guarding against the introduction of diseases and 

 insects into your orchards is a problem which all of you should con- 

 sider seriously. The newness of nut culture makes this all the more 

 important. Nursery trees are shipped from distant parts of the 

 country and little is known concerning the pests of the nuts in the 

 various sections of the country and in foreign countries. Think twice 

 before you buy trees from any source and when you do buy them, 

 inspect them very carefully for anything that looks like a diseased 

 condition. If such is found, do not be satisfied until you know that 

 you are not dealing with a harmful parasite which you might intro- 

 duce into your own and your neighbors' orchards. 



I would like to say a few words about the indiscriminate planting 

 of nut trees such as was advocated last night in the address of our 

 good friend, W. S. Linton, of Michigan. I believe this would be a 

 serious mistake since on such trees insect pests and fungus diseases 

 would thrive. It takes an expert to take proper care of trees and such 

 experts would not or could not be employed to take care of all these 

 trees. No one w^ho has any knowledge of the fruit industry would 

 advocate the planting of apple trees along all our highways. Such 

 plantings would harbor many insects and diseases which w^ould ruin 

 the commercial apple orchards of the neighborhood or seriously in- 

 crease the cost of protecting these trees against the pests. 



