i888. 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



257 



are not limited in the (jiiantity of the best 

 Imrn yard fertilizers. I readily understand 

 how lavish we should be c<insidered by 

 eastern people could they see the loads that 

 are put upon our flower gardens. Hut that 

 is the secret of success in both flower and 

 vegetable growing. 



Degeneracy of the Peach. 



TKOF. J. L. BUDD, IOW.\ AORICULTUKAL CUI.I.EOE. 



I have read with care the paper of Prof. 

 Hadwen in which he urges that the process 

 of budding is accountable for the yellows 

 and general degeneration of the Peach. 



Permit me to express serious doubts in 

 regard to his conclusions. The budding of 

 select varieties of the Peach is as old in 

 China and Central Asia— so far as we know 

 —as the days of Confucius. Yet it is not 

 known that the yellows, leaf curl, etc., are 

 to be found in the natal home of the Peach. 



Is it not more probable that our troubles 

 with their fruit have come from its culture 

 for long periods in climates not wholly con- 

 genial. That this had something to do with 

 the development of the Potato rot is now 

 quite generally conceded. At least we must 

 ailmit that Chauncey Goodrich's seedlings 

 from tul>ers imported from the home of the 

 Potato in South America gave us varieties 

 which have been nearly or quite free from 

 the rot for forty years in both Europe and 

 this continent. 



I have reason to believe that the lost 

 vitality of the Peach will in like manner be 

 restored by Infusing new blood from its 

 original home. As yet their notion is purely 

 theoretic with these exceptions: The Peaches 

 from South China grown in the Southern 

 States are yet sound so far as I know, and 

 some varieties we have sent out for trial 

 from Nortn China and Central Asia have 

 proven hardier in tree and fruit bud, better 

 in foliage, and freer from fungus troubles 

 than any of our old sorts. So far as I yet 

 know they have in no case been attacked 

 l)y the yellows, but some of them have 

 exhibited the leaf curl. In the near future 

 we hope to report their behavior in the 

 "yellows " districts. 



New Trouble with Fruit Trees. 



The tidlowing from agricultural editor 

 Clarkson, of the Iowa Slate Register, with 

 reports, etc., below, and addressed to the 

 Prairie B'armer, explain themselves. The 

 matter will be found of mtich importance 

 in Iowa and Illinois and very probably 

 elsewhere. 



Des Moines, May 8th, 18S8. 



There is considerable alarm with some nursery- 

 men in central Xowa, on account of a disease 

 which is preying; upon the roots of their nursery 

 stock, such as Apple, Plum, Rose, etc. I send you 

 by express fair samples of these fungi on the 

 roots c)f Apple trees. I do not know what they 

 are, or what is a cure for them, but have dubbed 

 thera "cancers." It first makes it appearance in 

 small lumps not larger than a pin head, and im- 

 mediately an alinormal grfiwth of small, til:)rovis 

 roots are thrown out, much finer and far more 

 numerous than on a healthy plant. These 

 roots appear to be an extra effort of nature to 

 save the plant from the effects of the deadly 

 enemy working at its roots. 



One nurseryman called on me last week, and 

 reported ninety per cent of his trees ruined. lie 

 says that after watching the progress of the 

 diseiuse for five years, and its effects, he finds that 

 no tree ever recovers. At first there is an unus- 

 ually vigorous growth, caused he think.*, by the 

 action of a large number of the fibrou.s inots 

 drawing extra nourishment to the tree. Hut the 

 di.sease, like the deadly cancer in the human 

 system, finally destroys the trees. 



Some of our nurser.vmen refuse to sell their 

 trees; others call the attention of the purchasers 

 to the carbuncles, and sell at a reduced price it 

 the p\irchaser will nui his i)wn risk. 



— C. F. Clakkson. 



A copy of Mr. Clarkson's letter was sent to 

 Prof. Burrill, who gave the subject .such 

 attention as he could, and req\iests further 

 fresh specimens. He says he has known 

 thedisease upon Cherry trees and Ho.ses, and 

 had attempted two or three times fu investi- 

 gate the matter, and has gone far enough 

 to ascertain from the literature on the sub- 

 ject that the cause is not known, and from 

 the examinations, it is some obscure thing, 

 probably a low vegetable parasite. When 

 he receives further specimens he will con- 

 tinue the examinations, which of course re- 

 <Hiire much time, and no promises can be 

 made as to what the results will be. The 

 Jollowing is 



PUOF. BUBRILL'S UEPOKT. 



Illinois University, May IS, lass. 



The specimens of Apple roots received through 

 you from Iowa, have upon them al)nornuil 

 growths, which at first are like little warts with 

 a I'ough surface. Afterward the irregular swel- 

 ling enlarges as a hard, tut)erculous knot, to the 

 size of a hen's egg, or greater. The surface is 

 rough, with protruding irregular points and 

 ridges, as though the growing tissues were 

 squeezed from within oiitward, and then hard- 

 ened. Fibrous roots issue from the young swel- 

 lings, but these seem to perish soon, as the older 

 roots do not have them. After a while decay 

 takes place, and the hard excrescence becomes 

 a mass of crumbling, saw-dust like material. 



These things have been made out in part from 

 the specimens just received, and in part from 

 previous observation upon what seems to he the 

 same thing on Rose and Cherry trees. One slight 

 examination had been made before on diseased 

 roots of Apple trees. 



Nothing is known of the cause. The ento- 

 mologists are positive that it is not due to insects. 

 There are no marks of insect work. I once 

 found, on a similarly affected root of Cherry, 

 great numbers of mites (minute spiders), but it 

 was concluded these had uocausual relation to 

 the disease. The next supposition is that the 

 malady is attributable to fungi; but then there 

 is no clear evidence of this. There is indeed 

 upon these specimens and others, a consid- 

 erable growth of the mold-like filiments of some 

 fungus, and swarms of bacteria have been found 

 on and in these exterior cells of the old bark. 

 But no one can say from this evidence that 

 either of these causes the trouble. I cannot see 

 any thing to suggest their action as the disease 

 producers. 



The enlarged, rough growth comes from the 

 living cambium layer, and neither in this or near 



An Improved Scaffold, 



it, has any trace of the low \egetable parasites 

 been found. Something stinudates the tender 

 young cells to grow ataioriually, lad this some- 

 thing does not kill them. One isrenunded of a 

 gall, where the injurious agent is exceedingly 

 small, compared with the wonderful departure 

 from normal growth which tjikes place. The 

 cells just bineath the cambium are irregular in 

 shape, ahd have very thick, hard walls. Curiously 

 enough, they are densely pai^ked with starch 

 grains, like the regular reservoirs (as tubers, etc.) 

 possessed by many plants. 



Here our information ends. I infer, from what 

 has Ix-en seen, that if the cause is a fungus, it 

 comes rather from the soil, than directly from a 

 cli.sea.sed plant to the healthy one. As experi- 

 ments, I should try liberal dressing— stirred in 



the soil abo\-e the roots— of such substances as 

 lime, land plaster, muriate of potash, cf)mmon 

 salt and wood ashes ndxe<l. Careful observation 

 ought to be made as t^) whether or not the di- 

 sea.se is more pre\-alent on lan<ls upon whUdi 

 diseased trees have been grown. Finally, care- 

 full.v conducted, scientifle investigations ought 

 to be made, extending, if need be, through the 

 year. Hei-e is one line of work for the new Ex- 

 periment Stations. 



T. J. IKTItltlLL. 



An Improved Scaffold Support. 



The subjoined cut represents a safe, con- 

 venient and easily made scaffold bracket 

 which has come into wide use in Hutfalo 

 and elsewhere in recent years. The two 

 main pieces which are spiked to each 

 other at right angles, consist of 2x4 inch 

 scantling. These are each as long as the 

 scaffold is to be wide. Braces are then 

 naileil obli(iuely acro.ss, two on each side a.s 

 shown. These may con.sist of one inch stuff 

 and sh(mld be three orfour inches wide. To 

 elevate the bracket, place the upper end of a 

 scantling between the braces and under the 

 horizontal part as shown, with the lower 

 end resting on the ground. The bracket 

 may be moved higher or lower at pleasure. 

 It is only necessary to see that the foot of 

 the scantling rests securely on the ground 

 in order to have a perfectly safe support. 



Management of the Orchard. 



PRIZE ESSAY BY SOUTHERLAND, INOERSOLL, <JNT. 



The scientific knowledge necessary to 

 rear and care for an orchard properly is not 

 more than is required to raise a good crop 

 of grain, or any other product of the farm, 

 but the period of its growth extends over a 

 far greater length of time, and the care which 

 it receives is not apt to be so constant and 

 timely as would be given to a crop occupying 

 but one short season. So much of the suc- 

 cess in after years depends on the manner 

 in which it is first planted, that I will give 

 a few directions tor setting the orchard. 



Site. Select a site, if possible, sloping to 

 the south, although perhaps the advantage 

 of one slope over another, everything being 

 taken into consideration, is very slight. On 

 the whole, I think the nature of the soil 

 should be considered as of more importance 

 than the slope. Avoiil a soil with a hard 

 clay subsoil, for not even the best of culti- 

 vation and thonjugh drainage can render it 

 fit for the reception of the far-reaching roots 

 of the trees. A deep, dry, sandy loam should 

 be selected to give the best results. 



Planting. Having selected a site, the 

 next thing will be to drain, nutnure and 

 subsoil the land. The distance which trees 

 should be planted apart will depend (Ui the 

 amount of land at your dispo.sal, and the 

 kind of trees to be planted, a .spreading tree 

 such as the Creening requires nu)re riMun 

 than one of clo.se growth, such as the North- 

 ern Spy. However, as the farmer will want 

 to plant more than one variety, it is best to 

 adopt a distance which will meet the re- 

 quirements of all kinds. If the trees are 

 given i)lenty of room they will require less 

 manure to sustain them in good condition. 

 From thirty to forty feet is better than a 

 shorter distance. Select trees of a medium 

 size, set in large round holes, carefully 

 spreading the small fibres and reserving 

 the top soil to be pres.sed firmly arounrl the 

 roots. Next, stake and [irune the trees, 

 leaving about four of the nuiin branches 

 evenly balanced on the trunk of the tree. 



l''lTtl!E M.WAOKMKST. This will consi.st 

 in preserving a well shaped top, in clean 

 cultivation, and in ai)plying to the land, in 

 the shape of manures, such elements of 

 plant food as will at once increase and re- 

 tain the fertility of the soil and supply to 

 the trees the essentials for growth. 



Hy careful going over the orchard once a 

 year, and removing the objectionable 



