SECRETARY S CORNER. 359 



"The Cause and Prevention of Pear Blight".— This is the title of a 

 little six page bulletin written by N. D. Waite, of the Division of Vegetable 

 Physiology and Pathology, United States Department of Agriculture. He con- 

 siders therein the subject of apple and pear blight— giving the life history of 

 the microbe thought to be the cause of it, conditions affecting this disease and 

 treatment for it. This interesting bulletin is very practical, and our readers 

 will get the latest scientific thought on this subject by consulting it. A copy 

 can be had, undoubtedly, by addressing the Division of Publications, Wash- 

 ington, D. C. 



Medals Awarded on Fruit at the World's Fair.— The following 

 item came to me inclosed in a letter from the secretary of awards at the St. 

 Ivouis World's Fair under date of Aug. 11. 



"The Medals of Award are being struck at the Government Mint at Phil- 

 adelphia for the Exposition under Special Act of Congress. Dies have been 

 prepared in the highest degree of the engraver's skill. The alloy which enters 

 into the composition of the medals was made especially for the Exposition 

 after samples were submitted and passed upon by expert medalists. The 

 striking of the medals, notwilhstanding the resources of the Government for 

 this kind of work, must proceed carefully and slowly to insure perfect results. 

 As the medals are received from the Mint they will be distributed by the Ex- 

 position in accordance with the awards, without cost to the recipients." 



International Jury of Awards. 

 This may indicate that the medals are soon to be delivered. 



Store Fruit for Thb Winter Meeting.— Reference was made in the 

 August Horticulturist to the fact that the usual arrangements for storing fiuit 

 for the winter meeting of our society with A. Booth & Co. of Minneapolis have 

 been continued this year. As it is our purpose to make the fruit exhibit at the 

 coming winter meeting the finest and best of all the exhibits the society has 

 put up, it is necessary that our members should make a special effort to the 

 furtherance of this end. Do not fail to gather the very best specimens of all 

 the varieties you are growing, and where they are of early ripening stock that 

 will not keep at home send them to the cold storage as provided in this city. 

 Shipping tags have been printed to use for this purpose and will be sent out by 

 the secretary in any number required. Special attention should be paid to the 

 saving of seedling apples, as the usual premiums will be offered for this class 

 of fruit. The secretary would be pleased to hear from members contemplat- 

 ing making exhibits as to the probable extent of the exhibit and the number 

 of varieties to be shown. 



Pack Your Apples Right. — One of the leading commission men here 

 suggests that I say a word to our members as to the great importance 

 of sorting and packing apples carefully, putting them in reat packages and 

 handling them in such a way that they will get to market in good condition. 

 Many of our apple growers, and especially those of comparatively little ex- 

 perience, are very careless in these matters, and as a result their fruit when 

 shipped to distant points, and even when sold at home, brings them very little 

 profit. Put the good apples in a package by themselves. The poor ones 

 should never be shipped, but marketed at home or turned into cider. New 

 barrels should be used and the top and bottom layers of fruit placed stem up 

 to make a neat appearance. Don't make the short-sighted mistake of putting 

 smaller apples in the middle of the barrel. You are sure to be found out and 

 your market injured thereby. Place on each head of the barrel the name of 

 the variety, as well as your own name and address. Strict attention to these 

 details will give material advantage in the way of better prices and quicker 

 sales. 



