\ 

 228 THE CHIEF SOUTHERN AGRICULTURAL CROPS 



above described is by far the most common form, but 

 the disease may also be conveyed by the bites of 

 insects to the young leaves, stems, or fruits. It does 

 not, however, seem to be able to pass through the 

 unbroken cuticle which is nature's protective cover- 

 ing to guard against such infections. 



No remedy for this disease is known, and no 

 spray or other application has been found that is of 

 the slightest use in controlling it. Cultural methods, 

 however, may do much to minimize the losses oc- 

 casioned by it, by taking advantage of the fact 

 that it spreads fastest when the tree is making the 

 rankest, most vigorous growth, and that it practi- 

 cally dies out as soon as that growth begins to 

 harden. A pear orchard that is attacked by blight 

 should be at once seeded down to grass, or some 

 cover crop, and should be given phosphatic fertilizers, 

 but no nitrogen, in order to induce the early harden- 

 ing of the wood. Especially after the trees reach 

 bearing age anything that would induce a rank, 

 sappy growth should be carefully avoided. Spo- 

 radic cases that occur in young trees should always 

 be promptly cut out, taking care to cut well in ad- 

 vance of the diseased area. In a bearing orchard 

 it will do little good to attempt cutting while an 

 outbreak is actively in progress, but when it is over 

 the dead wood should be cut away and careful 

 search made for all living '^ hold over " cases. These 

 should be cut out with great care, and the orchard 

 should be inspected frequently, with the hope of de- 

 tecting and removing all of them. In starting a 

 young orchard it is also wise to prune back very 



