258 . STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



Mr. T. T. Lyon said he desired to discuss the point advanced by Prof. Cook, 

 that healthy apple trees were not exempt from the attacks of the borer. His 

 own observation had led him to believe that in no case did the borer attack a 

 fruitful, healthy tree ; but, invariably, there was some injury or disease that 

 invited the insect to deposit its eggs where it did. This often occurs in trees 

 whose trunks are exposed to the hot son — almost always on the southwest 

 side, by which the bark is thickened and discolored, and the sap perhaps 

 fermented. In other respects the tree aj)pears vigorous and healthy. 



Mr. H. Hanford, of Bristol, Indiana, said his experience with the borer indi- 

 cated the same state of affairs. Among hundreds of trees he had never found 

 the borer to begin his attack except on the exposed or southwest side of the 

 tree, and this occurs in trees that have been bent over by prevailing winds from 

 that quarter. He said short trees almost always escaped the borer, as they 

 were very little exposed to the glare and heat of the sun upon their trunks. 



Mr. Brown, of Battle Creek, was inclined to think that both theories were 

 correct ; that trees the Professor deemed healthy, and which were so to all out- 

 ward appearance, might have some disease unseen by the human eye, but which 

 the borer instinctivelv knows to exist. 



Other gentlemen expressed their views chiefly with respect to the destruction 

 of the pest, the best way being, in their opinion, to cut them out before they 

 go too deeply into the wood of the tree. 



The subject of shrunken and dead bark on the pear tree, as a disease whose 

 cause was entirely unknown, was taken up, and Mr. Hanford stated his manner 

 of treating an orchard of some 500 trees which were thus affected. He peeled 

 carefully away all the dead or shrunken bark, applied a coating of soft grafting 

 wax all over the space, and had the satisfaction of finding a formation of new 

 bark and recovery of the trees, only one of which had died, and this in face of 

 the fact that some of the trees were stripped almost entirely around. 



Mr. Adams, of Kalamazoo, said the disease was probably a species of blight. 

 This sinking of the bark affects trees badly, and if let alone would cause death. 

 In Europe the disease is as prevalent as in this country, and in many places 

 the trees- die out by whole orchards. 



. Mr. Mott said he had put the saw to all trees found thus affected, and cut 

 them off below the affected part. 



The secretary remarked that he had been sucessful in arresting the fire blight 

 by clearing the earth away from the roots, and applying iron filings from the 

 machine shop, again covering with earth, and the next year his trees made a 

 very fine, healthy, and luxurious growth. He farther said that he thought the 

 two diseases — the fire blight and the dead sunken spots on the trunk — two 

 separate and distinct diseases. This view was entertained by Mr. Hanford 

 and others. 



The chairman congratulated the Society that a remedy had been indicated 

 for the disease which had depopulated so many excellent pear orchards in this 

 State, and gave instances of the total loss of orchards by the " black blight." 



J. C. Holmes related his experience in planting in heavy clay. Dr. Warder 

 visited his trees and searched for the fire blight, but found none. I told him 

 we could cure it. How? By planting in clay soil, and the trees recover 

 of themselves. The Flemish Beauty succeeds well on light soih Believes it 

 will do better than on heavy soil, while the Wmter Nelis is just the reverse. 

 Adjourned. 



