20 THE COXXECTICUT POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



as to weather conditions, and these usually resulted unfavorably 

 rather than favorably to plant growth. On December 9, 1902, 

 occurred the sudden zero weather following an open fall. The 

 first manifest injury was the discovery of the dead peach fruit 

 buds ; later it was found that fruit trees, especially the apple 

 and peach, had also suffered. Then there was a very wet April, 

 a dry May, and a wxt June. These extremes had pronounced 

 effect on germination and subsequent plant growth, with also 

 some effect on the development of fungous troubles that start 

 during these months. July and August were months of fairly 

 good weather, though the middle of August had its blight week 

 for the potato, and both months were too cool and moist for 

 melons. September developed the gale that relieved many of 

 the trouble of picking their apples, pears and quinces. The 

 season was ended with late killing frosts, thus atoning some- 

 what for its backwardness. On the whole, the year was one 

 very favorable for the development of bacterial troubles and 

 perhaps up with the average for its allotment of those of a 

 fungous nature. Let us briefly consider those occurring on our 

 most prominent fruits. 



Apple. 



Black Rot (Spluvropsis Maloriiiii). This is responsible for 

 cankered areas on the larger branches and for the death of 

 the young twigs. The rot of ripe fruit is also often due to 

 it. On the foliage it causes roundish brown spots. An exam- 

 ination of leaves from a good many localities during 1902-3 

 showed that this was largely responsible for the leaf spot that 

 has been so common. The same kind of spots, however, may 

 be produced by spraying, under some conditions, especially 

 when insecticides are used with Bordeaux or used alone. 



Blight (BaciUiis aiiiykn'onis). The bacterial blight that kills 

 the young twigs during spring and early summer was evident 

 the past year. These dead twigs have much the same appear- 

 ance of those killed by the preceding fungus, but can usually 

 be told by the blacker color. The germs of this disease are 

 carried by the bees in their pollination excursions. This was 

 illustrated in a young orchard at Shaker Station, where the 

 blight was most evident in the trees nearest where bees were 

 kept. 



