FRUIT-TREES AND GRASS. 49 



its boughs. These were cut out, and thejcemainder 

 of the tree appeared healthy during the following 

 summer, and bore a good crop of fruit. The dis- 

 ease often attacks but a single branch or a small 

 portion of a tree. The authorities advise that 

 everything should be cut away at once below all 

 evidence of infection and burned. Some of my 

 trees have been attacked and have recovered; 

 others were apparently recovering, but died a year 

 or two later. One could theorize to the end of a 

 volume about the trouble. I frankly confess that I 

 know neither the cause nor the remedy. It seems 

 to me that our best resource is to comply with the 

 general conditions of good and healthy growth. 

 The usual experience is that trees which are ferti- 

 lized with wood-ashes and a moderate amount of 

 lime and salt, rather than with stimulating manures, 

 escape the disease. If the ground is poor, how- 

 ever, and the growth feeble, barn-yard manure or 

 its equivalent is needed as a mulch. The apple- 

 blight is another kindred and equally obscure dis- 

 ease. No better remedy is known than to cut out 

 the infected part at once. 



In coping with insects we can act more intelli- 

 gently, and therefore successfully. We can study 

 the characters of our enemies, and learn their 

 vulnerable points. The black and green aphides, 

 or plant-lice, are often very troublesome. They 



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