NOTES ON THE DISEASES OF FRUIT TREES IN THE WEST. 



possible- others I kept water standing around all summer. Some I trimmed close in vari 

 ous ways, and others I did not trim at all. But the rot took the whole of them at last, 

 indiscriminatel3^ At one time I thought those mulched with saw-dust and elevated on the 

 cedar poles, had escaped, and was about to inform you of my entire triumph, as the oth- 

 ers were nearly all gone, while these were fresh and fair. But fortunately, before I got 

 time to write my exultation, these mostly went in the same way; they however ripened a 

 few bunches, and strange to tell, almost every grape that ripened had a worm in it, and 

 was worthless. Now, query — is this rot caused by an insect, and did not the mulching 

 destroy the larvae under these vines until all the others were " used up," the insects then 

 gathering upon those also, by emigration? I confess it looks like it. Again, the week be- 

 fore they began to rot, I saw a great number of little insects on the M'ing under those 

 vines — somewhat resembling a small ^y, but so quick on the wing it was impossible to 

 catch them, and I never saw one light, nor could I find any in any other part of the garden, 

 though there were hundreds under this grape arbor in the early part of the day. This 

 attracted my attention strongly at the time. But I thought little of it until I found the 

 grapes all worm-tenanted in the fall. 



Again, I had almost forgotten the conclusion, until a week or two since, I was inform- 

 ed while in Quincy that one man had saved his crop, by his son's catching an insect about 

 the vines earl}' in the season. His theory, I learn, is that the rot is caused by an insect 

 which deposits the larvaj in the bloom, similar to the pea-flj^ — hence those grapes which 

 perish early, say about the size of green peas, do not perfect their larvae, while those 

 which hang on late, and ripen as some of mine did, do perfect them. 



This also accords well enough with the fact, that old vines are worse infected than new 

 ones — and the same of localities. 



Some soils, also, may be propitious to the larvjc, others destructive — while mulching, 

 liming and various other processes, may tend to destroy them. But here I have no theo- 

 ry and no opinion; the facts I have detailed are facts — that is all I care as yet to say, ex- 

 cept that I think them sufficient to set others to watching and thinking; for in the present 

 state of things, grapes, over thousands of square miles in the west, can be of little or no 

 use, and he who first discovers the true cause and cure, will be one of the greatest bene- 

 factors of his country and race. Have any others found their grapes ivormy in the fall 1 



Melons. — I have found for two years, that melons, and especially water-melons, did 

 far best either on new ground, (which all admit,) or after a crop of tomatoes, where they 

 yielded twice as well as on other old ground. 



CnERRiES. — All the cherry trees which I stripped of their outer bark some years since, 

 have escaped all disease thus far, and continue to do well. I intend to experiment upon 

 the corticle of the pear next season with a rasp, as I have a suspicion that they may thus 

 be benefitted. At all events, with us, their most critical period hy far, is while changing 

 from a smooth to a rough-barked tree. 



I am conscious I have been tedious. I will therefore close, and leave you to publish as 

 much or as little of this long epistle — in entire or separate numbers — as you please. 

 Meantime, I am as ever truly yours, ' J. B. Tuknek. 



JaclcsonviUe, Illinois, Jan. 7, 1851. 



