276 THE CULTIVATION OF THE 



LEAF BLIGHT 



has been spoken of in connection with nursery stock, 

 and comes from crowding the trees, and may be 

 avoided by thinning them. It checks the growth of the 

 trees for the year. A fungus is often found on the 

 leaves, and is supposed to be a cause, as it is also of 

 cracking of fruit in certain varieties, in certain localities. 



BLIGHT OF FRUIT. 



The pear fruit, at times, fails to perfect itself, and 

 blights before it is of sufficient size and flavor to eat, and 

 this is entirely distinct from natural decay. It may 

 attack the pears of any tree, and in any place, and under 

 any circumstances, This blight is caused by the presence 

 within the pear of Entozoa — Parasites, (animals or vege- 

 tables living within the bodies of other animals or 

 vegetables. When the fruit is nearly matured, it pits 

 and softens under the skin, and an internal rot begins, 

 and the fruit decays, rots at the core. Now, this is often 

 found coming on good pears, and I suspect the LeConte 

 of it in some Peninsula soils. If you can't gather and 

 dispose of the fruit for cooking purposes before the 

 trouble commences, you will lose it all. As the pear 

 gets soft and watery, the parasites come to maturity and 

 move about. Put a portion of the pear pulp in muslin 

 and press it, and take a drop of the juice that exudes, 

 thin it with water, and put it under the microscope, and 



