If w/er Meeting. 207 



Root gall.- — I do not know what causes root gall and I have never 

 seen any body who does know what causes it. We have tried many 

 experiments w^ith no decisive results. I have never seen this root gall 

 in sufficient quantity to kill the trees, though we had some of it in 

 a little nursery at the station. 



DISCUSSION OF APPLE DISEASES. 



Iv. B. Wilkerson. — In the nursery we found more root gall in the 

 richer ground, where it was heavily manured, 200 loads to the acre. 

 The second year the tree begins to die. Some said the wax used in 

 grafting was the cause of it. I think the bunches of fine roots found 

 on the trees just under the surface of the ground are from the same 

 cause as the root gall. A tuft of roots may be caused by woolly aphis. 



L. A. Goodman. — What does it cost to spray? 



Prof. Whitten. — We have kept no account of the cost. We make 

 so many changes in the spray, keep careful records and in many ways 

 make the cost more in time, care and labor than would be necessary in 

 a commercial orchard. I don't know the cost of commercial spraying. 

 It varies greatly, costing some men four times as much as others. 



Mr. Wilcox. — The difference in the amount of material applied, 

 in the size of the trees, and in the size of the orchard and the lav of 

 the land, make it difficult to count the cost per acre or tree. 



J. C. Evans. — Why do so many Grimes Golden die at the collar ? 



Prof. Whitten. — I find trees of the Grimes dying from root rot. 



J. C. Evans. — What I speak of is different from root rot. It 

 begins above the ground. Root rot begins below the ground. 



J. T. Snodgrass, Howell county. — In our part of the state the root 

 rot is the worst thing we have. 



Mr, Gilkeson, Johnson county.- — There is a good deal of it in my 

 section. 



Prof. Whitten. — There is very little of it around Columbia. To 

 prevent trees from dying give good cultivation. I believe trees would 

 not die from drouth if properly cared for. 



