84 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



growing well and even bearing frait. These healthy portions will prob- 

 ably be destroyed next season if the fungi should develop then. My 

 efforts in the way of spraying for leaf curl have not been attended 

 with success. Two applications were made this season, the first late 

 in February and the other before the buds opened in March. Bor- 

 deaux mixture was used and the work was thoroughly done. 



Since this disease first attracted my attention in our orchards, I 

 have noticed it in several other orchards in the county and even on 

 isolated trees. Some varieties seem to be exempt from its attacks thus 

 far. Among ihem aie Elberta and Thnrber. Those most effected 

 with us are Old Mixen, free and cling, Early York, Heath Cling and 

 those of the Smock type. 



While I have not been successful in overcoming this disease, I 

 trust that 1 may at this meeting learn wherein my mistake lay and 

 correct it in the future. 



I am glad to be present with you here, if for nothing else than to 

 bring this matter before the people of Missouri, for should the leaf 

 curl develop generally over the State as it has in Newton county (and 

 there is every reason to believe it will), it is high time that effective^ 

 measures be taken to prevent it and that reliable information be freely 

 distributed upon the subject. 



Now, in conclusion, I will say that the prospect for peaches in 

 Southwest Missouri is splendid this season. The curculio seems to 

 have done very little damage and all healthy trees are so loaded with 

 fruit that before this Society meets again I hope to have had some ex- 

 perience in profitable peach growing. 



F. H. Speakman. 



PEAR BLIGHT TO DATE. 



Whether it is possible or not to throw any further light upon this 

 vexed and difficult subject in holticulture, it is at least worth while to 

 condense in a brief statement the results of the latest investigations 

 concerning its cause and the prevention of it. 



The writer has for years done some personal work in this direc- 

 tion, and has at the same time made use of all the information he 

 could obtain concerning the researches of others into this subject. 

 It is now definitely determined that pear blight is a contagious bac- 

 terial disease specially affecting pears and also some other kindred 

 fruit trees. The microbe is very minute. It was discovered by Prof. 

 T. J. Burrill in 1879, and its scientific name is Bacillns Amylovorous. 

 The microbe feeds chiefly upon the inner bark, especially upon the 



