FIRE BLIGHT IN PEAR TREES. 



331 



in the minds of some — If it is the effect of 

 the su7i, how is it that so little has been 

 known of it till within the last few years ? 

 This query is readily answered, by the fact 

 that it is only within a few years that much 

 attention has been paid to the introduction 

 of considerable collections of this fruit, and 

 as I have already remarked, without mate- 

 rials there can be no action. This, too, 

 forms one of the strongest arguments in 

 favor of my position. I do not however 

 design to take up your time with argu- 

 ments, but to submit the facts stated, to your 

 consideration, and that of your readers, 

 hoping that thereby more light may be 

 elicited regarding this discouraging mal- 

 ady. 



If the position I have assumed be cor- 

 rect, the remedies that suggest themselves 

 are simple and within our reach. The first 

 and most important, is the selection of a 

 class of fine Pears, the growth and organi- 

 zation of whose wood is of a compact tex- 

 ture and slow of growth. Such are found 

 to be least affected by the Blight. As, for 

 example, the Seckel ; of this I have scarcely 

 known a tree destroyed. The second, is to 

 select for our plantations the most northern 

 aspect that can be commanded. The north- 

 ern slopes of hills — the northern sides of 

 buildings — the northern sides of fences, for 

 espaliers, etc. If proper attention is paid 

 to these suggestions, I feel confident we 

 shall have less occasion to lament our dis- 

 appointed expectations, and as a reward for 

 our labors, we shall enjoy this fine fruit in 

 perfection. And there certainly is no coun- 

 try in the world where the Pear can be 

 more perfectly and easily grown, than this, 

 if our trees are exempted from the destruc- 

 tive Blight. 



I remain, respectfully yours, 



A. H. Ernst. 



Spring Gardtn, ntar Cincinnati, 0., Dec. 1. 1847. 



Remarks. — We are obliged to Mr. Ernst 

 for the foregoing interesting contribution 

 to this still somewhat difficult subject. We 

 have no doubt of his correctness in arguing 

 that the "fire blight" is frequently caused 

 by the heat of the sun in the early summer — 

 that is to say, certain forms of the blight, 

 and perhaps that most common inOhio. 



We are equally confident that in por- 

 tions of the Western States, and in New- 

 York, severe frost, under certain circum- 

 stances, is equally productive of this dis- 

 ease. And we are yet fully of opinion that 

 the apple, pear and quince, are, in the ends 

 of their shoots, liable to sudden blight and 

 death from the attacks of an insect. 



Another point is also entirely certain. 

 Whether we examine the effects of the 

 blight in the pear tree as caused by the 

 heat of the sun's rays, or by frosts, we are 

 irresistibly led to the conclusion that the 

 bark of the pear tree is viore tender than 

 that of any other hardy fruit tree ; and that 

 many varieties, of foreign origin, are more 

 delicate in this respect, than others of in- 

 digenous growth. 



Hence, as our correspondent remarks, it is 

 not unusual to find old trees of verj' large 

 size, in various parts of the country, which 

 have never been in the slightest degree af- 

 fected by any form of blight. 



It is evident, that if the more delicate 

 kinds of pears are to be cultivated exten- 

 sively in districts liable to the blight, either 

 the bark must be protected from the action 

 of the elements, or the constitutional sus- 

 ceptibility to injury must be changed, if 

 possible, by some mode of culture not yet 

 satisfactorily ascertained. 



Me. Ernst states that this season has 

 been rather less marked by blight than 

 usual, in Ohio. It has, likewise, scarcely 

 made its appearance with us, but we learn 

 from friends about Albany, that its ravages 



