172 



STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



the bud had failed to push, although the bark inserted with it was yet alive 

 in most instances. 



In ninety-six per cent, of the seedlings the top was purposely allowed to 

 remain at the time of transplanting, only enough being removed to balance 

 the slight loss of roots. The others were cut back to the inserted bud. 

 The trees suffered no injury in transit, were provided with excellent roots, 

 and, with the exception of eighty-seven set in new ground on upturned 

 and tough sod, grew vigorously from the start and promised well. 



In autumn, on several occasions, my father reported that some of the 

 inoculated trees had begun to look yellow and sickly. However, I did 

 not see them until July 1, 1889, i. e., one year from the previous examina- 

 tion and twenty-three months from the insertion of the buds. The change 

 was then so great that I could scarcely credit my eyes. With one excep- 

 tion, the unbudded trees continued healthy and had made a good growth. 

 On the other hand a very considerable number of the inoculated trees 

 were already dead, and most of the remainder were in all stages of decline, 

 dwarfed, yellow, and sickly. Evidently some sort of virus was communi- 

 cated by the inoculated diseased bud to the previously healthy seedling, 

 and this was probably transmitted to all parts of the tree. At least, symp- 

 toms were visible to the very extremities of the branches, three to four 

 feet from the point of inoculation. A few trees only had made a tolerable 

 growth and seemed to be resisting the evil influence. 



As in Experiment 1, here were the feeble, branched growths and the 

 winter buds germinating months in advance of the proper time. Again 

 there could be no question as to the nature of the disease. The exact 

 conditions in August were as follows: 



Table I.— Result of inoculations two years from the time the buds were inserted as shoion by compari- 

 son of budded and unbudded trees. 



From that day to this the contrast has become greater and greater 

 as the condition of the inoculated trees has gone on from bad to worse. 



The orchard was reexamined July 29-31, 1890, and another series of 

 photographs procured. The condition of the inoculated trees was found 

 to be much worse than last year. All which were doubtful or seemed to 

 be healthy in 1889 had become diseased, and many more had died with 

 the characteristic symptoms of yellows. Only two of the inoculated trees 

 made any noteworthy growth in 1890. Of the entire 219* trees which 

 received diseased buds August 3, 1887, only fifteen were living at the 

 expiration of the third year. Nearly all of those which died were more or 

 less stunted and showed symptoms of yellows either in the form of branch- 

 ing summer growths or of winter buds which germinated in autumn. 



Up to date only one case of yellows has developed in the unbudded trees, 

 the tree noted as suspicious in 1889. 



* Nine were rejected at time of planting on account of injuries received in digging. The number 193 

 given in my Preliminary Report is a typographical error. 



