2l6 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



theory I have thought of, but I do not say that it is a true one, anil 

 that is that' it is carried everywhere by bees. They carry it into 

 their hives, and then in the spring they distribute it in the blossoms 

 which they visit. It seems reasonable to me. The twig blight is 

 inoculated in the same way, in my opinion. The tips and the last 

 leaves of a young growing tree are very delicate indeed, and the\ 

 are susceptible to inoculation, in my opinion. Why do some trees 

 blight worse than others, you may ask in that case. For the reason 

 that some growths are very much more tender than others, and 

 they are much more susceptible to disease in that form. I wrote 

 an article on blight and had it printed in the local papers in our 

 town, and that is the theory, tbe idea I tried to convey. The remedy 

 I do not know. It was stated by the gentleman who spoke before me 

 that it was bacteria, and it is also so stated by the authorities at 

 Washington. Those men are employed by the government for the 

 purpose of enlightening the people, and they would not be permitted 

 to send out statements that are not true they have been proven by 

 men who are employed for that purpose. 



The Chairman : We have about fifteen minutes more to devote 

 to this subject if you wish. (Great laughter and applause.) 



Mr. C. W. Merritt: This seems to be a theory and not a 

 remedy. I really do not" believe there is any remedy, and the one 

 that has been suggested is not a good one, that is. not to plant any 

 trees that blight, because the Wealthy is one of the worst blighters 

 we have, and we could not very well get along without that. If 

 a limb blights this year it will not blight next year. It will run 

 back just so far and then stop. After a while that will dry up and 

 drop oflF. 



Mr. Pond : I would like to have Prof. Sandsten tell us just how 

 to disinfect the knife after we cut off those blighted portions of a 

 tree. 



Prof. Sandsten: I simply take carbolic acid, four or five per 

 cent in water, and after each cut dip the knife or pruning shears 

 into the solution. Just take one dip, that is sufficient to disinfect 

 if. 



Mr. C. E. Older : Capt. Reed says trimming back will cure it, 

 that is, cutting the limbs back when the blight appears. I used to 

 do that, and I cut the tree away entirely. The professor says we 

 must disinfect fhe knife ; I used two knives. It did not seem to 

 make any difference whether I cut with one knife or the other. 

 One gentleman says he sprayed with Bordeaux mixture. I sprayed 

 mine three times with Bordeaux mixture. 



The Chairman : And then you had blight ? 



Mr. Older : Yes, it did not make any difference. They did not 

 blight' so badly as some others, but a good deal more than I liked 

 to see. Underwood tells us to plant varieties that do not blight. 

 I have got a row of Oakabena that blighted ver>' badly, and they 

 never blighted before. 



Mr. W'ellington : I believe there are no conditions under which 

 blight is not' found. You find it where there is plenty of rainfall, 

 and vou find it where it is excessivelv drv. You find it where thev 



