88 TWENTY-EIGHTH FRUIT-GROWERS' CONVENTION. 



and they are wide apart — a mile apart, I believe. They have given 

 excellent satisfaction. It is pretty expensive at the start, but it makes 

 up for that by the reduction of expense in management and in running 

 afterward. 



VICE-PRESIDENT GRIFFITH. Tell us under what conditions 

 compressed air is useful. It is not satisfactory under all conditions, is it? 



PROFESSOR COOK. It is desirable where the wells are wide apart. 



VICE-PRESIDENT GRIFFITH. Another condition that is neces- 

 sary to make compressed air successful at all is a given depth of water. 

 I think that double the depth of water to the lift is required to make 

 compressed air successful, and that is not always to be had. Where it 

 is to be had, I think compressed air is economical under certain con- 

 ditions. 



We have another question here that is a perennial inquiry, or an 

 inquiry every time we have the fruit-growers together, I think. It is 

 contained in a long letter, which I won't take the time to read. It is 

 addressed to Professor Cook, and asks him to bring before this audience 

 the question of variegated leaf. The gentleman does not want theories, 

 but practical experience. He has such leaves and he wants to get rid 

 of them before he goes on planting more fruit. Will Professor Cook 

 tell us how to get rid of the variegated leaf? 



PROFESSOR COOK. Some say cold water makes variegated leaf, 

 and I think near Claremont cold water has caused variegated leaf. I 

 know of fruit trees put in a sheep corral, and those trees had a very bad 

 case of variegated leaf. I think if anything affects the health of the 

 tree, or if the tree gets too much or too little water perhaps, it will make 

 variegated leaf. Anything that brings ill health to the tree — lack of 

 proper nourishment, for instance — will cause it. I believe around Clare- 

 mont the variegated leaf is caused by cold water. Variegated leaf is 

 like a man who is pale — there is something the matter with him. 



MR. SCOTT. One cause of variegated leaf is lack of nourishment in 

 the soil. I have an orchard at Duarte that fifteen years ago had this 

 variegated leaf, and it gave me a great deal of trouble. Not only the 

 leaf variegated, but the fruit was very often small and split. I con- 

 sulted with one or two chemists, and they told me that if I would apply 

 iron to the soil it might have a good effect. I used this stuff called 

 "ferris," from the Woodbridge Fertilizing Company, and used it two 

 years, and to-day I have only one tree that has variegated leaf. As to 

 irrigation, or want of irrigation, I don't think that has anything at all 

 to do with it, for the reason that in the same row of trees and with the 

 same amount of cultivation and amount of water given one with another, 

 you will find one tree with variegated leaves and the others absolutely 

 free from it. So I don't think that has anything to do with it. But I 

 must say that in my own experience this sulphate of iron applied to the 



