66 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Therefore, if the heat and moisture of late fall is to be as much dreaded 

 as the cold of our winters, it stands us in hand to propagate those 

 varieties of peaches which have the qualities of the Rome Beauty or 

 Jannet — slow to act under any condition. 



ROOT ROT. 



This so-called disease is a fungus, most prevalent in new land, 

 where there is an abundance of decomposing matter. The young apple 

 tree roots, in coursing their way through the soil, come in close con- 

 tact with pieces of wood that, in course of time decays, forming a 

 compost that is so rich in certain elements that it is not conducive to 

 their health, owing to its close proximity to the roots, causing dead 

 spots to appear, thus germinating the fungus which spreads slowly 

 from the affected parts. 



This fungus is white in appearance, enveloping the roots with a 

 filmy coating, shooting its spores into the apparently healthy bark 

 several inches in advance of the decayed parts. This process is con- 

 tinued until the surface of the ground is reached, thus encircling or 

 girdling all of the roots. This disease never appears in a prairie coun- 

 try, and I think it is seldom found north of Central Missouri ; it is also 

 prevalent in certain localities through Southern Illinois. The trees do 

 not show the presence of this malady until it is too late for successful 

 treatment, owing to the surface roots being the last to succumb. 

 Therefore, a preventive rather than a cure is what is wanted. 



A. C. Skinner, West Plains, Mo. 



DISCUSSION. 



Gilbert — I beleive we should plant on all slopes. On north, south, 

 east and west and on the top of the hill. In 1893 the southern slopes 

 ^n Oregon county produced more peaches than the northern. In se- 

 lecting a location go to the top of the hill and all around it. 



Skinner — I have got oO peach trees of fine varietes. They do not 

 bear well. I wrote that little paper that Mr. Goodman read. 



President — I have been experimenting in that line. I have some 

 at home and they have borne for 2 or 3 years and some of them are 

 pretty full this year, and in the experimental plot I have a seedling. 

 This year it had as many blooms on as a dozen of the others. I have 

 a few different seedling about the place. Some full and some not. 

 These are from selected stock grown from selected seeds of different 

 kinds. 



