1 16 Commercial Gardening 



of 1909-10. These trees were fifteen years old, and therefore just in 

 their prime. The disease is not confined to any one part of the country, 

 and a drive in any district where Plums are cultivated will show the 

 patches of silvered foliage which tell that the tree is doomed, and each 

 year it extends its ravages. Some varieties of Plums seem more susceptible 

 than others; the "Victoria" and "Prince of Wales" appear to be the 

 worst, but none are immune. 



Cultivation seems to make little difference; it can be seen where the 

 work is done properly, the trees watched and attended to, and the land 

 kept clean, as well as where nothing is done to the trees, and the weeds 

 are allowed to cheat the labourer of his hire. In fruit gardens and grass 

 orchards it is all the same. Rumours are sometimes current that some- 

 one has found a remedy, but up to now it has failed to crystallize. 

 Once it was the insertion of sulphate of iron to the trunk and branches 

 of the tree by boring holes 1^ in. diameter and plugging them with 

 Portland cement, which had cured all the diseased trees on one plantation; 

 next, it was the application of 3 Ib. sulphate of iron to the roots by 

 forking it in, repeated each winter for three years, that had worked the 

 cure. Probably we shall hear more of the effect of the above and other 

 methods of treatment, for many are trying them. It seems to be gene- 

 rally agreed that the application of lime and sulphate of iron is in the 

 track of a remedy. But how much of each, and how to apply them? 

 Does the composition of the soil make any difference to the amount or 

 proportion of each required, and are other ingredients likely to be needed 

 in some soils? All these and many other questions can only be answered 

 by careful and exhaustive experiments, scientifically arranged and managed 

 and carried over a series of years. Who is to do it? Where is the 

 Government experimental farm, or, better still, where is the agriculturists' 

 joint experimental farm? The market grower, whatever scientific train- 

 ing he may have, however much he may desire to obtain accurate data, 

 is ill qualified to carry out such experiments. His business is to obtain 

 by the cultivation of the soil a profit upon his outlay and an earning 

 for his labour of brain and muscle which shall afford him the means of 

 a livelihood. In this pursuit there come things that must be done at 

 a certain time, and at the same time some investigation in connection 

 with the experiment must be made or some data noted, and it is the 

 latter that has to go, so the detachment and continual attention necessary 

 to obtain reliable data from the experiment cannot be given. 



If the Board of Agriculture ever were desirous of doing something 

 in this line, a plan more effective and immensely less expensive than 

 the establishment of one experimental farm might be adopted. That is, 

 stations for experiment might be established on farms in different counties 

 by arrangement with the cultivators, who would do the work, as directed, 

 for agreed payment, and the data noted by scientists who would pay 

 regular visits for that purpose. The advantages gained would be that 

 the experiments, being spread over several counties instead of being con- 



