139 



one in the same row was touched with Bliglit, some 

 entirely killed, others partially. But it must be 

 borne in mind that they were not of the same va- 

 riety, but subject to the same cultivation. I have 

 a corroborating instance in a friend's nursery two 

 miles east of my garden, where whole lines of cer- 

 tain kinds were attacked, while others escaped 

 without injury, although in the same block of trees, 

 subject to exactly the same conditions in cultivation, 

 soil and position. 



Now, as Mr. Cooke, saj^s, "Why some trees of an 

 orchard are predisposed to attack, and others nDt, 

 although equally exposed, seems incomprehensible. " 



It would indeed seem incomprehensible could we 

 not offer very many facts, advanced by Darwin, to 

 establish how by a great law of nature, some must 

 live and others certainly die. There can be no doubt 

 that each living organization has its opposing forces 

 to contend with ; so equally balanced are they, that 

 slight advantages will afford a favorable opportunity 

 for the one to seize upon, and appropriate as its own 

 legitimate territory, the place occupied by its antag- 

 onist, only however in time to make way in a simi- 

 lar manner for a more favored organism. 



From these deductions, we are able to see how 

 those miasmatic spores would seize upon any weak- 

 ened organization, irrespective of how that weaken- 

 ed condition originated, so long as the territory was 

 favorable to its perpetuation. Now I contend that 

 in this matter of Blight, man by his protection and 

 selection of our cultivated fruits, flowers and animals, 

 is interfering with nature's selections, and with that 

 struggle for existence, which secures hardiness, and 

 power to resist and perpetuate its species, instead 

 of letting the weaker go to the wall, he foster* and 

 protects. 



If any particular fruit tree, is more subject to 

 blight than another, man, to be successful in its 

 perpetuation, must possess a knowledge of the 

 causes of its disease, and these are sometimes most 

 remote, the task will be found greater than man is 

 equal to. 



If, as Prof S. H. SaMsbury, of Ohio, says, Th^ 

 microscope has revealed Parasitic fungus or crypto- 

 gamus plants in trees. What does it prove? Only 

 that the organism of the tree is a suitable locality 

 for the perpetuation of the fungus, all it wants 

 thereafter is a favorite and slight advantage to per- 

 petuate itself to the destruction of the tissues of the 

 tree. But it is no more dangerous to the life of the 

 tree, than is the "ascaris vermicularis, " to the hu- 

 man life, unless some cause arises which may weak- 

 en the organism of the tree or human body, this 



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^y^r-—-^--^ — — — ^.^^^^^^^-^ — 



does repeatedly occur, making the work for the 

 parasite comparatively easier. 



Now, the question is. Are we, by our methods, 

 producing these slight advantages for the benefit of 

 the various fungoid. I have a strong impression 

 that we are : — Stimulating manures, improper 

 grafts, a want of proper selection in seed, and in 

 not always discarding the weak, and in allowimg 

 indiscriminate fertilization. These are some of the 

 operating influences to produce weakened organiza- 

 tions, and favorable opportunities for their destruc- 

 tion. We may always assist nature, but cannot 

 take the control out of her hands, we may procure 

 a grain of wheat, so early in maturing itself that 

 the midge cannot therein perfect its larva, and thus 

 defeat the insect. We have a better chance in this 

 way to destroy the Parasite, than by any other ap- 

 plication. 



If we can select a plum or produce one by hybrid- 

 ization with a woolly covering similar to the peach, 

 we will defe t the curculio. If only such of the 

 pears or other fruits, which are not affected by 

 miasmatic influence or otherwise be selected for 

 perpetuation, I have no doubt that the quality of 

 resistance would be increased in exact proportion 

 to the quantity of care bestowed. 



[We think the tendency of discovery is, that too 

 much influence is given to "predisposing causes" 

 in studying the injury done by parasitic fungi. Is 

 it not probable they may take root on a perfectly 

 healthy subject, as a mistletoe on a persimmon tree? 

 Strong vitality might resist the imposition, and 

 weaker ones succumb, without any actually predis- 

 posing cause. Yet as our correspondent well says, 

 it should always be the effort of the cultivator to 

 trace out the soundest law of health to apply to his 

 trees, while at the same time guarding against the 

 development of fungoid spores in every practical 

 way. Ed.] 



NOTES FROM THE REVUE HORTICOLE. 



BY E. FERRAND, DETROIT, MICH. 



A New Hose — At the special exposition of roses 

 held in July last, at Brie-Comte-Robert, France, a 

 place where the culture of the rose, for the Paris 

 market, is established on a large scale, no less than 

 78,500 flowers of the utmost perfection, either new 

 or old, were exhibited. Of this large number, so 

 strict has been the jury of awards that only one new 

 flower was gratified with a prize. 



Here is what Mr. Carriere, the able chief of the 

 Nurseries at the Museum, says on the subject: — 



"This rose, issued of the variety Souvenir de TEx- 

 position, has been named Comtesse de Jarcourt; 



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