DISCUSSIONS OF THE PENINSULA 



FARMERS' CLUB. 



FUNGUS NOT THE CAUSE OF DISEA.SE-THE ADVANTAGES OF TOP 



GRAFTING. 



Old Mission, Grand Traverse County, Dec. 18, 1873 



Clnb met pursuant to adjournment, Mr. II. W. Curtis in the chair. J. E, 

 Savage w;is chosen Secretary j»?-o te^n. 



Mr. Avery — It is thought by some that the rot in j)eaches and potatoes is 

 caused by fungus. 



Mr. Parmelee — I wish just here to make a few remarks in regard to fungus. - 

 The theory of fungoid growth being the cause of disease has exploded. Every 

 particle of air is filled with the spores of fungus; even air confined in a bottle 

 is filled with it. Warmth and moisture of the air is very favorable for fungoid 

 growth. You will notice that the mold on grapes and the rot in peaches is 

 worse when the air is warm and moist. Fungoid growth is not the cause of 

 disease, but is caused by, and will aggravate disease. In other words, there 

 must first be a derangement or morbid condition, to give spores of fungus a 

 congenial soil. Were it otherwise the spores that fill the air would attack all 

 growth. That derangement is the embryo disease, and fungus one of the 

 results. 



Mr. Curtis — I wish to inquire if there is any objection to top-grafting 

 apple trees. For instance take hardy trees — N. Spy, Ben Davis, or some other 

 good growing variety. Set them in orchard and let them grow until they 

 become of bearing age, — until they get good large heads, and without trim- 

 ming, — then graft the main limbs, and when the scions have grown large 

 enough cut the balance of the limbs off; would not that be a better way than 

 to clelt graft below the limbs? 



Mr. Savage — It is the general practice with nurserymen whea top-grafting- 

 to graft when the tree is smaller, putting the scion about the right height for 

 the head and in the leading shoot, and when the scion gets a good start cut off 

 all limbs below the graft. 



Mr. Avery — At the last meeting of the Club the idea prevailed that the 

 top exerted a great influence on the root. Now we assume that roots of the 

 N. Spy are in every way satisfactory ; would the Lady apple or other slow- 

 growing variety grafted on it exert such influence on those roots? If so, I do 

 not see the use of top-grafting such varieties as do not burst in the body. 



Mr. Brinkman — You can grow a Steel's Eed as large in one year, top- 

 grafted on a good stock, as in three years the ordinary way of root-grafting. 

 I have tried it on a large seedling with the result as stated. 



Mr. Avery — If the leaves have already exerted their influence, perhaps Mr. . 

 Curtis' proposition would be the right one. 



