CHAPTER X 



DISEASES OF THE BRAMBLES 



How to control the diseases which prey upon plants 

 is an important question in all branches of agriculture, 

 and in berry -growing there is particular need of 

 this inquiry. Cultivators far and near are being 

 driven out of the business by certain of these dis- 

 eases, yet no one is able to offer positive remedies. 

 The reasons are various, one being, the nature of the 

 plants and fruits themselves, neither of which can 

 be treated with remedies or preventives during a con- 

 siderable portion of the active season of depredation, 

 without injuring the fruit or rendering it unfit for 

 use. Another and more potent reason is the lack 

 of a sufficient number of skilled men to study the 

 complete life -history of the maladies, with a view 

 to ascertaining their weak points and the means of 

 meeting them. Few people not engaged in the work 

 can appreciate the amount of careful, accurate work 

 often required to trace out these things. Further- 

 more, only a trained specialist, who can interpret and 

 understand what he sees, can expect to cope with 

 them. It is to be hoped that careful study and field 

 experiments may in time make it possible to undertake 

 berry -culture without fear that these enemies will 

 thwart the best efforts of the grower. 



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