THE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY OF NEW YORK 



their election. This was done and the persons declared elected 

 members of the society. 



There being no further business before the meeting, the lecture 

 announced was given by Dr. Mel. T. Cook, on " Possibilities of 

 Controlling Orchard Diseases." The following abstract of the 

 lecture, wdiich was illustrated with lantern slides, was furnished 

 by the lecturer : 



POSSIBILITIES OF CONTROLLING ORCHARD DISEASES 



The great progress of agriculture and horticulture in recent years has 

 resulted in the advance of a number of related sciences, viz.: plant breed- 

 ing, soil bacteriology, entomology and plant pathology. These subjects 

 are so closely interwoven that the advance of any one is largely dependent 

 on the advance of the others. 



Plant pathology is a branch of applied botany of comparatively recent 

 development but it is, and will become more and more essential to prog- 

 ressive agriculture. It may well be considered a science for the prevention 

 of waste. 



Its importance is well shown by such startling epidemics as the late 

 potato blight which appeared about 1840 and caused famine in Ireland in 

 1845, and by the more recent epidemic of chestnut blight. However, epi- 

 demics are not new to the practical horticulturist. He knows that epi- 

 demics are likely to occur any year and that some diseases are likely to 

 become epidemic every year unless precautions are taken to prevent them. 



Plant diseases are becoming more and more prevalent. It is the opin- 

 ion of the speaker that every specific plant disease will eventually spread 

 to every part of the world in which the climatic conditions and the food 

 supply make it possible. Most diseases are due to specific organisms 

 which may be restricted to definite small or large ranges and to one 

 or more host plants. 



Plants from foreign countries may be the carriers of diseases which 

 may prove more destructive in their new homes than in the old; or intro- 

 duced plants may become the victims of diseases of the indigenous plants. 



For our purpose we may say that a plant is diseased when it does not 

 possess the optimum vitality, make the optimum growth or produce an 

 optimum quantity and quality of fruit. As a matter of convenience we 

 will group the diseases with reference to the parts on which they occur, 

 I. e., roots, stems, leaves, flower and fruits. 



The methods of control are (i) national or state inspection of market- 

 able stock, (2) quarantine to prevent the introduction of certain diseases, 

 (3) treatment of plants for prevention or control of diseases, (4) devel- 

 opment of resistant varieties. 



Meeting adjourned at 5 P.^I. 



George \'. Xash. Secretary. 



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