312 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



a limb of two years' growth. I can show you another where it 

 commenced to blight again, and I had to make another cut. I think 

 this plan arrests it only while the blighting is going on. 



Mr. Whiting : This cut should be made before the tree is en- 

 tirely dead? 



Mr. Spickerman : I said watch the tree, and when you see it 

 drooping then cut it. It seems to give the tree a vent. 



Mr. Whiting: Those spots appear on the side of the tree? 



Mr. Spickerman : If you have a sharp eye you can tell when it 

 begins to form, and by watching it you can tell how far it is blighted. 



H. H. S. Rowell : Why do you want to give the tree a vent? 



Mr Spickerman : You can interpret that as you please. I know 

 I have tried this, and it has proven itself a wonderful success in my 

 orchard. 



Mr. Rowell : In the consideration of this question it is always 

 treated in the way of the removal of the symptom, but never as a 

 disease. I think Mr. Spickerman has a remedy for the disease, 

 but not a preventative. 



Mr. Spickerman : I have not a preventative, and this is only 

 a remedy when the blight has struck the tree. 



Capt. A. H. Reed : I did not understand that he touched upon 

 the theory of blight in his paper. 



Mr. Spickerman : I have a theory in my own mind, but I do 

 not think I had better talk about it here. I might say a word or 

 two about it. In my opinion it is caused by the congested condition 

 of the sap. 



Mr. Busse : Those trees that were treated, were they affected 

 in nearly the same spots on the limbs and trunks as where they 

 were treated previously? 



Mr. Spickerman: I cut them both years. 



Mr. Busse : Previous to last season were fhey affected as much 

 as any of the others in the same locality? 



Mr. Spickerman : The trees blighted were in the same locality. 

 [ think the locality cuts a great big figure : at least, that is my 

 opinion. 



Mr. Brackett : How does Mr. Spickerman reconcile his idea 

 with Mr. Cook's? Mr. Cook covers up his trees to let no air in 

 and Mr. Spickerman provides a vent to let air in. 



Mr. Spickerman : I cannot help the theory, but I can show you 

 three or four hundred trees where the method worked successfully. 



Capt. A. H. Reed : I want t'o say right here that I believe it 

 is nonsense to argue or try to prove that blight on apple trees is 

 caused by bugs, insects or by bacteria. If the apple tree puts forth 

 more foliage than the roots can supply with sap food, you will 

 have blight. If the tree gets an early and heavy growth, as it did 

 in 1905, starting in May and putting out an immense foliage by 

 June, the roots, in my opinion, cannot supply that foliage with food 

 enough to keep all branches growing, consequently the tips wither, 

 turn red, and it is called blight. My trees this year started early 

 in June to blight and nearly every tree in my orchard blighted. 

 April, Mav and June were exceedingly wet months, hence, an 

 overgrowth of foliage which the roots could not supply, and as a 



