102 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



down into the crown of the treo. Here a canker is formed which nearly 

 always forms a "collar rot." 



Trees are more susceptible to this) disease immediately after a rainy 

 period because of the higher sap content which favors the growth of the 

 germ. 



Oozing ont the cankers in the spring and also after a rainy sjx'll we 

 find a sticky, milky liquid. This milky liquid contains millions of Fire 

 Blight germs. Right here is where the real trouble comes in. This 

 liquid is sweet and attracts insects of all kinds. These germs cannot en- 

 ter the sound bark, but are introduced into the sap by means of these in- 

 sects, aphids, beetles ,and borers of all kinds that have previously fed up- 

 on this sticky ooze from the canker. This with the introduction into the 

 blossom by bees is the only natural way in which Fire Blight is spread. 



This presents two phases of control. The first is by cutting out the 

 diseased parts, being careful to cut far enough below to get all the germs 

 and using a good disenfectant to dress the wounds. This is practiced in 

 Germany and China today and it is very seldom indeed that Fire Blight- 

 is) found in their orchards. 



The second phase is the eradication of insects of all kinds by spraying, 

 especially at the critical weather periods. This would mean a lot of 

 work but "I believe that the disease can be checked by this method alone. 



PRACTICAL IRRIGATION IN MICHIGAN 



BY H. F. KLEIN, DETROIT. 



Members of the Horticultural Society and Friends: 



The adoptation of western irrigation principles to conditions in the 

 Middle West is becoming more common every season. 



Last Summer some pioneer work along this line was done by Mr. 

 France on the fruit farm of Mr. F. A. Stuart at Marshall, Michigan. 



The irrigation was carried on in a berry patch of five acres located 

 three miles from Marshall, and half mile from the highway. There were 

 two varieties of blackberries^ — half being early and half of late types. The 

 soil was a light gravelly to sandy loam towards the West, changing 

 gradually to loam at the East — ^all of it is capable of producing vigorous 

 plants under proper conditions. The land was fairly level — a small 

 ridge ran across the Westeni side and there was a gentle slope from this 

 to level ground. The north and South slope was regular and gentle. 



The well was driven at about the center of the patch and connected up 

 with pump and engine into a compact water supply unit. The water had 

 to be lifted fifteen feet, so a two-stage, inch and one quarter centrifugal 

 type pump was bought. Its capacity was 3600 gals, per hour and though 

 not run at its limit, it delivered an abundance of water. The engine was 

 a single cyclinder, 21/0 H. P. stationary design mounted on skids, using 

 gasoline as fuel. A belt drive to the pump worked satisfactorily. 



To irrigate, the attendant dug a ditch from the highest point in the 

 row, making it four or five inches deep and of the same width. The snp- 



