APPLES. 107 



HOW TO CHECK THE DISEASE. 



So far as 5'et known the best waj- to check the disease is to cut off 

 the blig-hted twigs several inches below where thej' are dead and 

 burn them immediately. 



Root pruning maj- cause a decrease in the water suppl}' and thus 

 be valuable in checking- succulent growth. 



Stopping cultivation and seeding to clover might have the same 

 effect. The effect on the tree of salt, lime and ashes applied to the 

 surface of the ground needs further investigation. 



Spraying is a useless waste of time and money, since it cannot 

 possibly affect the blight. 



Finally, if 3-ou are going to plant an orchard and wish to guard 

 against "blight," the indications are: First, plant varieties least 

 liable to blight; second, plant on high, rolling, well drained 

 ground oi northerly slo-pe; and last, plant no windbreaks, except, 

 possibly, on the south or southwest and at some distance from the 

 orchard. 



BEHAVIOR OF THE RUSSIAN APPLES IN 1892. 



PROF. J. L. BUDD, AMES, IOWA. 

 From Report of 1893, Neb. State Horticultural Society. 

 This topic, assigned me in your program, would make an extended 

 paper if given in detail. Perhaps, a few facts in regard to the be- 

 havior of the east European apples, stated in a general waj', may 

 have some interest. 



NOT AFFECTED BY SCAB. 



It is now generally known that what is known as scab of foliage 

 and fruit is rapidly on the increase in the parts of the Union east of 

 the Rocky mountains. Even in western New York and Michigan, it 

 has recentlj" been so general that it has raised the question of the 

 possibility of breeding scab-proof varieties. To an extent not fully 

 realized, the shortage of the apple crop in the prairie states the 

 past season was caused bj^ the attack of scab in the blossoming 

 stage. 



Under these circumstances the fact is significant that the Rvissian 

 varieties and their seedlings are mainly, if not entirel}', exempt 

 from the disease. On the college grovmds at Ames, all the common 

 varieties of west European parentage were attacked in the blossom- 

 ing stage by scab, as were the Siberian crabs, and even our native crab 

 and its seedlings, such as Soulard, Fluke, and others; 5"et a careful 

 examination of the Russian varieties failed to reveal a diseased leaf 

 or specimen of fruit, even when their branches were interlocked 

 with those of Gros Pomier, Fameuse, Mcintosh Red and other sorts 

 which were diseased to such an extent as not to show a perfect leaf 

 or specimen of fruit This has been the case so far as known over 

 Iowa and eastward to the Atlantic. The Russian seedlings, such as 

 Patten's Greening, Wealthy, Wolf River, Whitney Mo. 20, Princess 

 Louisa and others, have also been free from the disease, as have our 

 hundreds of crossed seedlings from Russian mothers. 



