332 THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 



limb became completely girdled within a few days and wilted down. 

 Two of the cankers ceased growth after a few weeks and healed over. 

 The remaining one ceased active growth after a time but did not 

 heal completely by fall, and this spring there is some gumming. In 

 the original tree from which the infection was taken the disease 

 progressed downward and killed the root. 



If, as these observations and experiments indicate, many gumming 

 and "sour sap" conditions of the apricot tree are caused by fungi 

 or bacteria, it will readily be seen how careful the orchardist should 

 be in his pruning and cultural operations to avoid wounding the tree 

 especially during the spring which seems to be the natural infection 

 period for some of these organisms. And how important it is to 

 disinfect and cover such wounds as are unavoidable ! Another opera- 

 tion which is full of danger to the health of the apricot tree, and one 

 which has become habitual with many growers, is the slitting of 

 the bark whenever gumming conditions are noticed. This operation 

 is performed to relieve what is supposed to be a bark bound condition 

 and the cause of gumming — an ailment which is certainly very rare in 

 the San Benito County district. 



OBITUARY. 



"We deeply regret to chronicle the fact that on June 8th, Mr. 0. C. 

 McManus, county horticultural commissioner of Modoc County, while 

 in the discharge of his duties, was shot and instantly killed. 



The writer had come to know Mr. McManus quite intimately. He 

 was the soul of courtesy, always a gentleman and was not only an able 

 and skilled horticulturist but also devoted to his work. He had won 

 the respect and confidence of the fruit growers as well as of the super- 

 visors of Modoc County. I have rarely known a county horticultural 

 commissioner who seemed to have won the admiration and approval of 

 the farmers to a greater degree than had our deceased friend. Mr. 

 McManus said to me more than once that he just loved the work. He 

 had an orchard of his own in which he took great pride. In his death 

 the county of Modoc and the State suffer a serious loss. He leaves 

 three children wlio are overwhelmed by the shock of tlieir irretrievable 

 loss. — A. J. Cook. 



