THE TWIG-BLIGHT OF THE APPLE, PEAR AI^D QUINCE. 



317 



ages are many. After the matted row is 

 formed, cultivation practically ceases, ex 

 cept in a very narrow strip, the plant-pro- 

 ducing- tendency is developed to the detri- 

 ment of the fruiting strength, and vigor jus 

 crowns are few. The plants stand so thick- 

 ly that in cloudy, wet weather the fruit is 

 apt to decay, to lack flavor and color, and 

 run small after the first pickings. 



The modified matted row differs from the 

 foregoing in the fact that after the plants 

 have run so as to form a medium wide row, 

 the rest of the runners are clipped off as 



soon as formed, and also the weak plants — 

 the row thinned out so that the remainder 

 have a better chance to develop. It is a 

 great improvement over the matted row, 

 and fine berries can be grown. 



The strawberry plant is a wonderful little 

 organism, and it is only by carefully study- 

 ing its behavior under different conditions 

 and modes of culture that we are able to 

 learn how to develop its various functions 

 to suit our individual needs. — G. A. Drew 

 in Country Gentleman. 



THE TWIG-BLIGHT OF THE APPLE, PEAR AND QUINCE 



PROF. WM. LOCHHEAD, 



C. GUELPH. 



IT is probable that the year 1903 will be 

 known among horticulturists as the 

 year of the twig-blight, if we are to 

 judge at the time of writing (July 10), from 

 reports from the whole of the southern sec- 

 tion from Niagara to Windsor. The dis- 

 ease seems to be widespread, and is produc- 

 ing alarm in the sections which are infested. 



Although much has been written about 

 this disease, yet the story of the blight is al- 

 •ways an interesting one, and is not as well 

 known among fruit growers as it should be. 

 In spite of all that has been done and writ- 

 ten, we do not know of any sure, easy 

 method of controlling the disease. It is 

 true that the cause of the trouble, and the 

 mode of infection have been determined, but 

 it is also true that there is no easy practi- 

 cable remedy. It can be kept under con- 

 trol by cutting out the affected parts and 

 burning them, but a continuance of this 

 practice renders the trees unsightly, and 

 practically useless in a few years. 



The Cause: The cause of the trouble is 

 a bacterium or microbe, which enters the 



plant through the blossom and tips of grow- 

 ing shoots. It is very frequently observed 

 that some of the flower clusters turn black, 

 as if they had been frost-bitten. The young 

 fruits are also killed, and the disease spreads 

 rapidly to the twigs and limbs. In a limb 

 which has been killed by the blight certain 

 characteristics make their appearance : 



1. The leaves die in about two weeks after 

 the limb or twig is killed ; 



2. They remain attached to the stem, md 

 the tree appears as if it had been scorched 

 with lightning or a hot fire ; 



3. The inner bark and cambium layer .^.f 

 the limbs are destroyed ; 



4. The bark becomes almost black or dark 

 brown ; 



5. At the close of the season of growth 

 there is a distinct line of separation between 

 the diseased and healthy wood, but during 

 the growing season there is but a gradual 

 change in color observed in passing from 

 the healthy to the dead wood. 



The greatest amount of damage is done 

 within a few weeks of the first appearance 



