ORCHARD NOTES. 73 



In partial support of the supposition adopted, is the report of 

 Mr. P. L. Ricker of the U. S. Department of Agriculture to 

 whom specimens of fruit and leaves were sent. Knowing noth- 

 ing of the conditions under which the trees were growing, Mr. 

 Ricker reports : * "I can make out no signs of any fungus 

 mycelium in the apple. There is a little ordinary mould around 

 one of the holes in the apple, but not in condition to determine. 

 It is not connected with the disease of the apple — if it can be so 

 called. The main trouble seems to be from the bites of curculio. 

 * * * The apples have been in a moist chamber ever since 

 they came but no fungus has developed yet. There is a little 

 ■core rot in some of them, the cause of which is not definitely 

 known, but it is physiological and supposed to be due to some 

 trouble in nutrition, or perhaps some root trouble. This, how- 

 ever, can only be determined by examining the roots and the 

 conditions under which the tree was growing. There are none 

 of the fungous diseases on the leaves, either. * * * Qf 

 ■course none of the physiological diseases can be determined 

 from samples of the plants sent. A careful study of them in 

 their natural surroundings is necessary, with, perhaps, experi- 

 ments looking towards the improvement of soil conditions." 



The outcome of a further study of this problem may be of 

 much interest and some importance in connection with the 

 rational fertilization of orchards. 



Winter Injuries to Trees. 

 The injuries to trees during winter, in Maine, are usually due 

 to the freezing of buds or young wood, and to girdling by mice. 

 Both classes of injury have been emphasized by the severe 

 winters of the past two or three years. 



FREEZING. 



The winters of 1903-4 and of 1904-5 were exceptionally severe 

 in Maine, and as a result many complaints were made that the 

 apple orchards had suffered more than for the previous twenty 

 years. An explanation of this condition is not difficult; and a 

 partial remedy is easily applied. More important than a 

 remedy, however, is an awakening to the need of using measures 

 which will prevent a recurrence of the trouble in the future. 



« Personal letter to the writer Oct. 21, 1904. 



