TO SAVE GIRDLED TREES. .117 



times in April aud May, so that if pear blight was caused by- 

 such sudden changes in temperature it certainly should have 

 appeared at Geneva, whereas it did not occur at all. Col Leigh- 

 ten seat me some twigs from his trees "to show that bacteria had 

 no part in the matter." Some of the diseased parts were cut up 

 into a small amount of water; as usual when freshly blighted 

 twigs are taken, the water was made milky with the abundance 

 of bacteria, as verified under the microscope. A drop of this 

 bacteria-laden water was applied to punctures made with a pin in 

 several twigs and fruits of a healthy pear tree in the garden. 

 After a lapse of six days the disease appeared in each instance in 

 its usual characteristic form. Samples were sent to Col 

 Leighton with directions by which he might tranfer the disease 

 from these twigs through a drop of water, to his own trees again, 

 and also with directions for observing the bacteria under the 

 microscope. No answer has yet been received to this communi- 

 cation. The production of the disease by inoculation took place 

 the latter part of May, and with no other cases of the disease in 

 the vicinity. 



The true explanation rf the relation of temperature to blight, 

 as observed by Col Leighton, is doubtless this: The germs 

 cften enter the tree through the flowers or through the young 

 expanding leaf buds. At this time of year it is frequently too 

 cool for the germs to multiply rapidly enough to make the dis- 

 ease at once conspicuous. If, however, a few days of specially 

 warm weather occur shortly after the flowers open, the germs are 

 incited to active growth and the disease speedily becomes ap- 

 parent. [Prof J. C. Arthur, Purdue University, La Fayette, Ind. 



How TO SAVE GIRDLED TREES. Trees that have been girdled 

 by mice or rabbits may sometimes be saved by making a mound 

 of earth six inches or more thick over the injured part and press- 

 ing it very firmly to prevent the wood from becoming dry and 

 cracking. Sometimes painting over the wound with linseed oil 

 paint or thin grafting wax will save them if it is done before the 

 bark and wood get dry. After the injured part has become 

 thoroughly dry and the trunk begins to crack, the above will be 

 of little service if the tree is completely girdled. Any tree that 

 has not become dry to the center may be saved, however, by the 

 method herewith illustrated. 



With a short, thin-bladed chisel, a cut is made below and above 

 the injured part as in Fig. 1, about the time the buds begin to 

 swell. Cions are then fitted as in Fig. 3, about two inches longer 

 than the space between the cuts. The lower end is inserted m 

 the cut and firmly pressed into place. Then bend the cion and 

 press the upper end into the upper cut. The number of cions 

 will vary from two to six according to the size of the tree. After 

 the cions have been inserted, the cuts should be covered with 

 wax, a strong band of cloth or bast fiber should be tied over the 

 the ends to press them firmly in place, and the whole covered 



