454 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



Two weeks later all of the twigs which 

 bore innoculated blossoms were blighted for 

 a distance of four to eight inches, and bore 

 black and shrivelled leaves. 



One shoot whose blossoms were innocu- 

 lated six weeks previously was blighted for 

 the entire length of the shoot, a distance of 

 fourteen inches, and was beginning to extend 

 downward from these points. 



It has been shown that bees and other 

 insects are largely instrumental in dissemi- 

 nating the virus from one blossom to an- 

 other ; and while it would be impossible and 

 unwise to banish the bees, even if we could, 

 it is possible to remove much of the virus 

 which they are so instrumental in carrying. 



This will consist in a thorough inspection 

 of the orchard in the spring before the blos- 

 soms open, and the cutting out and burn- 

 ing of all blighted limbs, branches and spurs. 

 This will prevent, in a large measure, the 

 wholesale infection of the blossoms, either 

 on terminal growths or spurs, at which time 

 nearly all the blight gets its start in the tree. 



Again, if one will inspect a pear orchard 

 any time during the months of May or June, 

 one will observe a greater or less number of 

 blighted terminal shoots and spurs. These 

 represent blossom and perhaps bud infec- 

 tion as just noted. If these blighted parts 

 be allowed to remain, the disease will extend 

 and serious consequences will follow. If 

 the terminal blighted shoots are cut out, the 

 progress of the disease from these points 

 can be stopped, provided care is taken to 

 cut well below the blight and through the 

 healthy wood. 



When the spurs are affected, it is seen as 

 clusters of dead leaves. These being short, 

 it does not take long for the blight to extend 

 from them down to the larger limbs. If not 

 cut off on the first appearance of blight in 

 them, the disease would have extended into 

 the branch, where their excision would be 

 useless. 



Hence, soon after blossoming, the tree 



should be watched carefully, and every evi- 

 dence of blight removed as fast as it makes 

 its appearance. Delay, especially as regards 

 the excision of blighted spurs, is fatal. 

 That is, it will necessitate the later removal 

 of a large quantity of wood, even to limbs, 

 which might otherwise be spared. 



Most farmers practice pruning for blight, 

 but they commonly do it whenever conven- 

 ient, rather than at the right time, or per- 

 haps not until the tree is badly involved. 



Following the two spring prunings, the 

 first before the buds are open, and the sec- 

 ond during a period of a month following 

 them, there should be a third inspection 

 and pruning in the fall before the leaves 

 drop, cutting out at this lime any evidence 

 of blight which may have escaped the pre- 

 vious operation. 



THE GEORGIAN BAY APPLE HARVEST 



MUCH FINE NO. I FRUIT — PRICES LOW. 



I'^HE apple harvest in the celebrated 

 Georgian Bay district, says our 

 friendly contemporary,, the Sun, is now 

 fairly under way. 



The apple crop in the eastern end of 

 that district is turning out better both 

 in quality and quantity than expected. The 

 color of the fruit is superb. 



*' Never before," said W. T. Pattullo, one 

 of the large growers near Creemore, " wgre 

 my Ben Davis as free from blemish, as well 

 formed, and as highly colored as this year." 



But it is not the Ben Davis alone that is 

 well colored. The Ganos and Kings are 

 also rich in coloring, Spys alone showing a 

 little weak in this particular. 



There is to be seen in the Pattullo orchard 

 an illustration of how quickly results can be 

 obtained from grafting. There are now perr 

 feet tops in Kings, Ontarios, and Spys, on 

 trees which were worked over five years ago. 

 Some of these new Spy tops will give a bar- 

 rel of fruit this year, while Ontarios will do 

 even better. Mr. Pattullo has a perfect 



