26 



JNEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



August 18, 182(j. 



siand. He says 



s "the warm weatlier of Februa-1 near the first healthy looking shoot. 



•' ry, which put the sap of the early fruits into cir- examined thorn with my knife, beginning at 1 

 '' dilation, was followed by severe cold the last of extremity, and Searching to the butt. I madi 



1 carefully 

 at the 



March, whicii checked the rising sap, and form 

 ■' ed it into wood, alburnum ; and when the spring 

 " approached, in its proper season, and sot the sap 

 •' in circulation ; it was obstructed and cotdd not 

 " rise." First, the alburnum is formed by tlio de- 

 scent of the sap. This may be stopped by girdling 

 the plant, yet it don"t prevent the flowing. When 

 stopped by this means the sap is ditViised through- 

 out the brancli above the cut, so as to increase iti 



similar investigation of the diseased branches in 

 Mr Secretary Bangs' garden, assisted by Isaac 

 GooDWi.N Esq. the present occupant. In these, 

 and other subsequent e.xaminations, no trace of an 

 insect was to be found. It was apparent that the 

 bark upon t!ie extremity of the diseased branches 

 had become dry and adhered to the wood. In ap- 

 proaching the healthy part it became less and less 

 0, with spots and stripes of a brownish colour. 



size until the wound is healed ; whieli, in a tlirifty I interspersed in the substance of the bark. A little 

 tree or vine, will soon take place, and then the lower was to be discovered the discolouration of 

 circulation goes on again as usual. So if the sum- 1 the .alburnum or sap-wood. The next cutting 

 nier be very liot and dry, vegetation is suspended j would, in many cases, bring to view such an accu- 



for a time : — but abundant rains soon set the sap 

 a flowfjjg again, and make vegetation as active as 

 ever. 



My own opinion is that a corrupt state of the 

 juices or sap of the tree, arising from excessive 

 manuring, or from stagnant or putrid water near 

 the roots ; or from other sources which we cannot 

 easily trace, is the cause of tlie evil. 



I subjoin an extract from a writer of celebrity, 

 and an extensive cultivator of fruits, which was 

 published eighty years ago, on the subject in ques- 

 tion, and ask your indulgence and that of the pub- 

 lic for tills long and I fear tedious article. 



CULTIVATOR. 



Brookline, August 10, 1826. 



Extract fram DuhameVs Treatise on Fruit Trees. 

 "The sap corrupted by stagnant or putrid water, 

 or by the excess of manure, destroys or bursts the 

 cpUiilp.r membrane, and extends itself between the 

 woo'l and the bark, which it separates, and carries 

 iti corroding influence in all directions like a gan- 

 fjrene. Wlien it attacks the small branches, they 

 fchould be cut off ; if it appears in the large 

 l;ranol!es or the body of the tree, all the cankered 

 parts must be cut out down to the soutid ivood, and 

 the wound must be covered with compost. If the 

 evil be caused by manure or stagnant water (for 

 it may be prnduced by other causes) the old earth 

 must be removed from the roots, and fresh soil put 

 in its stead, and means taken to draw off the wa- 

 ter from its roots. But if the disease has made 

 much progress on the trunk, the tree is lost." 



[The above able article was intended for oar 

 last, but came too late for insertion. — Editor.] 



DISEASE TN PEAR TREES. 



Mr Fessfnden — In the first No. and first page of 

 Jour current volume, I noticed a communication 

 from his Exc'y Gov. Lincoln upon the disease of 

 Pear Trees, with the opinion of tlie Hon. Mr Low- 

 ell, President of the Mass. Agr. Society, respect- 

 ing its origin. Having lost two trees, and being 

 anxious for the fate of the residue, I have used the 

 utmost diligence to ascertain the cause, in order, 

 if possible, to prescribe a cure. I had been in- 

 formed, by a gentleman of Northampton, that the 

 destruction of Pear Trees in that place was sup- 

 posed to be occasioned by an insect, which made 

 its lodgement in the wood ; but in what part of 

 the tree thia unknown enemy was to be found, 

 had not been ascertained. On the first discovery 

 of the disease, (the present season being the first 

 t^at t had noticed it,) or rather, after the leaves 

 on the extremity of the branches had changed 

 ^hejr hue from brown to black. I severed the limbs. 



mulation of vitiated sap as to cause a separation 

 of the bark from the wood. The fluid had become 

 perceptibly sour from stagnation ; and had given 

 a tinge of the darkest brown to the wood, which 

 it enveloped. Below this reservoir the wood and 

 bark appeared in their natural healthy state. — 

 Here I found it safe to sever the branch. That 

 this was performed below the seat of the disease 

 is evident from the appearance of new healthy 

 shoots. 



So far as my observations have extended, trees 

 bearing early fruit have received the greatest in- 

 jury : and among these, the most thrifty, and such 

 as are in the first year bearing. Those I lost were 

 of this description. The destruction commenced 

 on the branches containing fruit. Having never 

 before noticed such an appearance of my trees ; 

 and having never witnessed such an extraordinary 

 season, I am led to the belief that the extreme 

 heat, commencing in May, and followed by a long, 

 exhausting drought was an obvious and sufficient 

 cause of the blight. And subsequent appearances 

 have confirmed mc in that opinion. A few apple- 

 trees in my nursery suffered in the same manner. 

 They are invariably those which stood under the 

 margin of larger trees, where the ground had be- 

 come most dry and heated by the reflection of the 

 sun's rays. The exhaustion of the sap by the apli- 

 ides, or plant lice produced the same appearan- 

 ces on the points of the branches of the most re- 

 cent growtli ; but the injury was not extensive. — 

 Small portions of the quince tree frequently exhib- 

 it a similar blight witii no other perceptible injury 

 than the loss of a few inches of the branch with 

 the fruit, which probably was the principal cause 

 of its death. 



I have some knowledge of the depredations of the 

 Oak pruner,having made a communication respect- 

 ing its ravages in the New England Farmer, vol. iii 

 No. 4. The disease in question, I am confident, is 

 not imputable to that insect. Whatsoever may be 

 the cause, I can prescribe no preventive course, 

 nor a better remedy for the evil than an immed 

 ate amputation of the diseased portions, covering 

 the wound with a grafting composition, and trust 

 ing to nature for renovation. 



Respectfully your obedient servant. 

 Worcester Aug. 7, 182C. O. FISKE. 



tually took off about twelve feet of the main stei 

 quite below the dead or dried part. 



The tree recovered and is now perfectly health 

 although it was done two years since. Last yea 

 and this year other trees were attacked and th 

 same process taken with them and all recoveret 

 The twigs should be cut early, close to the mai 

 stem, and as soon as they begin to die — By time 

 ly attention in cutting,tho main stem may be save 

 — I now say confidently, that we need no longe 

 look on and see all our fine pears disappear — M 

 remedy is full and sufficient, although I could nt 

 discover the cause that destroyed so many treei 

 [In No. 1, vol. V. N. E. Farmer. I rejoice to se 

 that our scientific president of the Mass. Agr. Sc 

 ciety has detected the rogue and pointed out th 

 remedy. Respectfully yours. T. P. 



Stockbridge, Augxisi 7, 1826. 



DISEASE IN PEAR TREES. 



T. G. Fessenden, Esq. — Some years since my 

 pear trees were attacked by some concealed enemy 

 which destroyed many of them. With a view to 

 detect the rogue, I dug about the roots, cut off and 

 searched the branches, without making any dis- 

 covery. — All would not do, my trees died. 



I was no\v led to cut witji a bolder hand and ac* 



GYMNASTIC EXERCISES. 





W 

 id* 



)tit 



III 

 like 



The following very able and interesting articl 

 was written by Dr. Coffi.n, of this City, in answe '" 

 to a public letter addressed to him by the edito 

 of the Journal of Education. The object ofdis 

 cussion is very important, and is treated by Dr 

 Coffin with an ability which is worthy the caus- ''J 

 he advocates. 



[From the Boston ratriot.] 

 To the Editor of the Journal of Education. 



Dear Sir — I have read with pleasure the pub 

 lie letter with which you have honoured me.— 

 Knowing the character and purpose of your dail 

 efforts, I could not be induced lightly to regar 

 any subject which had interested your own mine 



But I have other motives for sympathising wit 

 you in the interest you feel for every thing con 

 ducive to the improvement and elevation of th 

 human being. 



I proceed accordingly, and at once, to answe 

 your inquiries in the best manner I am able. 



When a number of gentlemen first met in Bos 

 ton to confer on the expediency and practicabilit 

 of establishing a Gymnastic School, it was soo 

 found that the expediency of the measure was u 

 nanimously admitted. The only remaining ques 

 tion was, how shall it be carried into effect ? 



A committee was then chosen to ascertain if an" 

 suitable piece of ground could be had whicl 

 should be conveniently central and accessible.— 

 No such spot having been found, it was though 

 best to ask of the City Government the tempera 

 ry use of a piece of land near the Common. Afte; 

 some delay this petition was granted ; the place 

 was however low, and required to be raised, en 

 closed, and at a heavy expense, since wiiich the 

 committee have been engaged in attempting tc 

 raise the funds necessary to accomplish their end. 

 The leading object of tlie individuals who have 

 done most for this cause, has been, to demonstrate 

 to the public, by evidence addressed to every man's 

 sense, that discoveries and acquisitions of the 

 Gymnasium, are quite as essential to the prosperi- 

 ty and success of the individual and the State, as 

 reading, writing, or any thing else, which one i 

 man can teach, or another learn. 



They have hoped thus to induce the city au- 

 tliorities to take the Gymnasium into their own 

 hands, and to make its discipline a part of the com- 

 mon system of education. Their generous views 

 in the mean time have of necessity been limited, J 

 by their resource I 



