THE JUNE MEETING. 289 



Mr. N. Cook spoke of Mr. Close, who was a close observer, who noticed a 

 peach tree that was held in check for ten days by the cold east wind. The 

 grapes, — the Clinton and the Delaware, — were uninjured, although exposed all 

 winter. 



Mr. Lyon was of the opinion that the effect, of the cold was according to 

 the condition of the trees before the winter. It often happens that there is a 

 second or late growth which does not ripen, and that will sometimes lead them 

 to destruction from cold. Judge Emmons had tried coal tar on the trunks, 

 which, with those trees that were not vigorous, proved destructive in the sum- 

 mer, while those trees that were vigorous and hearty thrived. Trees will put 

 out growth in the spring, and when out they may wilt and die, being dead at 

 the roots. Hence our early reports of fruit prospects are often fallacious. I 

 have come to the conclusion that the man who grows grain crops around his 

 trees runs great risk of losing them. 



The President. — In these trees that were killed, were they exposed to the east 

 or the west ? 



Mr. Lyon. — Trees in the most exposed situations are the hardiest. 



Mr. Thompson. — This correspondent wants to know what to do with his 

 orchard. It is now nearly July ; would you manure or mulch it ? 



Mr. Lyon. — My time to manure it would have been last fall. It is question- 

 able if it can do. any good after this time. 



Mr. Thompson. — There are three causes for this destruction of trees and 

 of fruit: first, the hard winter; second, the east wind; third, the drouth. 

 These are the three causes of the trees dying. 



Mr. Lyon. — As far as I can judge, no manure could do any good, except for 

 next spring. If the injury is so fatal that it is struck with death, there is no 

 use doing anything. If manure will renew vigor, then put it on. 



Mr. Hanford. — If I had an apple orchard in this condition, I should do noth- 

 ing to it. It cannot take up manure at this season of the year. If anything 

 can do any good, it is a mulch that shall protect the trees from this drouth. 



Prof. Cook. — There is no hope whatever if the trees are dead at the roots. 



Mr. Hanford spoke of one of the largest orchards in Illinois that had been 

 nearly destroyed. 



Mr. Lyon said the late growth in the fall, if it did not thoroughly ripen, would 

 be destroyed by a sharp winter. 



Mr. J. D. Husted agreed with Mr. Lyon in this respect. A tree full of sad 

 could not stand a severe winter. Unripened wood is ruinous. The Maiden's 

 Blush ripened its wood well last fall, and it comes out all right. Where the 

 base or root is sound my plan would be to cut the top off and mulch the tree. 

 The remedy is to mulch and prune. The difficulty is the season being late; by 

 mulching now and pruning, a late growth may ensue and danger in winter 

 result. 



Mr. Hanford insisted that last fall the wood did ripen good, and he could not 

 see why the death of the trees should be attributed to unripened wood. 



Mr. Lyon. — It is not because they were not well ripened, but the drouth is 

 so excessive that the vitality is not equal to stand the effect of the intense 

 heat. 



Mr. Husted. — The extraordinary severe winter, 40* below zero, and that fol- 

 lowed by a dry season like this, it was not to be wondered at that these effects 

 ensue. There is nothing we dread in a nursery so much as a long spell of cold 

 weather. I would rather the thermometer dropped 20*^ below zero and then 

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