128 ANNUAL REPOKT. 



to the trunks and branches of trees in the form of whitewash; and 

 in my observation, where this has been done they rarely, if ever, 

 blight. 



In conclusion. I will say that we may reasonably hope to see the 

 end of this scourge by-and-by, on the general principle that epi- 

 demics and various other evils spend their force in time and depart. 

 However, this may be, we have another faith to hang our hopes, 

 upon — the belief that the steppes of Russia will furnish us a race 

 of trees, both of the apple and the pear, with constitutions robust 

 enough to resist the ravages of blight and the great extremes of our 

 climate. 



BLIGHT. 



By M. Pearce, of Minneapolis, Minn. 



In all my experience with rust on wheat and blight on fruit 

 trees, unless the straw, new wood or portions gf the leaves were 

 ruptured, no serious harm occurs ; or in other words, where there 

 is no rupturing, blight will not exist. 



The question then arises, what causes the rupturing of the bark 

 on the new wood and also portions of the leaves ? 



On philosophic principles, we must come to the conclusion it is 

 the result of a rapid or spasmodic growth, caused by excessive-heat 

 and moisture at the roots of the trees, which can be overcome by 

 keeping the soil over the roots of the trees covered with loose 

 mulching four or five inches deep, as far out as the roots extend. 

 I use corn stalks, marsh hay, bean straw, potato vines, or anything 

 of the kind I have on hand. This will give a constant, even and 

 healthy growth, and the trees will never blight if the application 

 is made in the fall or early in the spring ; no, not even the Trans- 

 sendents, which of all trees are the most subject to blight. Mulch- 

 ing is recommended by all scientific writers and close-observing 

 fruit growers. I do not wish it understood that rupturing pro- 

 duces blight, far from that, but it paves the way for something that 

 does, of which we will write. Among the lowest limits of the 

 vegetable kingdom exists a very low order of vegetable life known 

 as Bacteria, so extremely small that it requires a microscope that 

 will give from one to two thousand diameters to bring it to view. 



