Commercial Gardening 



experiments in fruit growing are inaugurated, and if by chance it should 

 happen that they were practically managed, it may be possible to discover 

 what it is that is out of alignment between certain soils and certain 

 varieties of Apple that reduces the vitality of the tree so as to place it at 

 the mercy of the canker fungus. 



At present, from such observations as are possible to a non-scientist, it 

 seems that certain varieties of Apple will do well in soil A, and canker in 

 soil B, while others will do well in soil B, and canker in soil A. 



In order to check the spread of the spores, and to give the tree a chance 

 of overcoming the attack, a good plan is to spray in the late winter, just 

 before the buds begin to burst, with a solution of sulphate of copper, 1 Ib. 

 to 36 gall, of water; the spray should be driven hard into the canker sores. 



[w. G. L.] 



Heartwood Rot of Apple Tree (Polyporus hispidus). Not infre- 

 quently large, bracket-shaped fungi may be seen growing out of the 

 trunk or branches. These fungi are more or less semicircular in outline, 

 and vary from 4 to 8 in. across. The upper surface is brown and 

 coarsely velvety, the under surface greenish and porous. The spawn of 

 the fungus penetrates to the heartwood, which it reduces to powder; 

 consequently the trunk becomes hollow. The fungus attacks all kinds 

 of fruit trees, also many forest trees. 



The fungus should be removed at once, otherwise the spores produced 

 are apt to infect adjoining trees through wounds. Cover all wounds 

 with gas tar. Certain other kinds of woody bracket fungi also grow on 

 fruit trees, to their detriment. They should be dealt with as above. 



Bitter-pit of Apples. This disease appears to be prevalent wherever 

 the Apple is cultivated. The symptoms are: the presence of scattered 

 brown or rust-coloured spots in the flesh of the apple, more especially 

 towards the calyx or "eye" end of the fruit. When the spots are near 

 the surface the skin sinks over the spots, and the apple presents the 

 appearance of having had smallpox. No fungus nor insect is concerned 

 with this disease, which is of a physiological nature, and no knowledge 

 as to a cure or preventive is at present known. It has been suggested 

 that, in new countries where the Apple is grown, it is due to the intro- 

 duced trees having not as yet become acclimatized. This, however, is 

 not a satisfactory explanation, as many kinds of Apple suffer severely 

 in this country where the varieties were produced from trees that have 

 been in existence here for ages. 



Apple-tree Mildew (Sphcerotheca mail, Magnus). This disease is 

 caused by one of the superficial mildews, related to the Hop Mildew, 

 American Gooseberry Mildew, &c. It is widely distributed in this 

 country, and probably exists wherever the Apple is cultivated. The 

 young leaves clustered at the tips of the shoots present the appearance 

 of having been thickly dusted over with flour, and the action of the 

 fungus is to arrest the growth of young shoots, consequently the forma- 

 tion of new wood is prevented when the parasite is present in abundance. 



