AlGirST 15, 1915 



679 



has been proposed by fruit-growers is to 

 cut out and burn the blighted parts. The cut 

 shouhl be made at least a foot below each 

 of the lowest bliglited places. The cut stub 

 sliould be sterilized by washing with anti- 

 septic material sucli as lime-sulphur solu- 

 tion or corrosive sublimate in water. It has 

 bcoii proven by experiments that it is not 

 iMX'cssai'v to paint the dry stub with a pro- 

 tecting paint as it will heal, or, in many 

 cases, is as well without it. The infected 

 trimminsi's should be carried out of the 

 orchard and burned. 



The im}iortant point to beekeepers is the 

 means by whicli the germs of bliglit reach 

 the trees, or, in other words, by which the 

 trees become affected. It lias been alleged 

 that bees are responsible for practically all 

 (he dissonunalion of bliglit germs, while tb.e 

 fact remains that the air is full of such 

 germs, and they may enter the trees at one 

 place as well as another. Ants crawling \ip 

 and down the trees carry the gemis in great 

 numbers. Plant lice or other insects punc- 

 ture the trees or growing shoots, and the 

 blight germs enter tliere. Wasps, flies, and 

 various other insects are just as liable to 

 carry the germs of the disease to blossoms 

 as are bees. Even if the bees should be 

 carriers of the germs causing pear blight, 

 tlio quantity of the disease that the bees 



Pear blight entered the growing tips of the shoot. 



Twigs once in healthy condition. 



carry is very small in comparison with that 

 conveyed by other means ; so that if it were 

 possible to stop all the honeybees from 

 carrying pear blight, the dissemination of 

 this disease would be practically as exten- 

 sive and as speedy as it is at present. 



One of the photographs shows blossoms 

 where the bliglit germs entered and killed 

 the brancli. The others show twigs that are 

 dead fr-om blight that were once good and 

 healthy, and in vigorous condition when the 

 blight germs entered and destroyed them. 

 While it may be argued that the bees carry 

 the germs to the blossoms, it cannot be 

 ])ioveii that this is not done by other means. 

 Yet, on the other hand, no one would even 

 dare argue that the bees carry the blight 

 germs to the new shoots without l)lossoms. 

 Therefore, it is unjust to say that wherever 

 a blighted fruit-spur is to be seen, this was 

 due to the activity of the bees any more 

 tlian to say that the blights of other parts 

 of the tree were due to tlie same causes. 



It is possible tliat many trees may re- 

 cover from the blight; but many others Avill 

 continue to cari"y it over the winter and 

 from year to year. The best way to get rid 

 of such di.sease is to be prompt in cutting it 

 out. and cut from six inclics to a foot below 

 tlie lowest blighted area. 



Harrisburg, Pa. 



