English Orchards. 



maltreated by unskilful pruning and hacking, has only 

 been recently attributed to a bacterio-fungoid form desig- 

 nated as Micrococcus dcndroporthos^ or brown slime-flux, 

 belonging to the Schizomycetes or Fission fungi. Its 

 presence m_ay be detected on the trees by quantities of 

 viscous brown fluid being exuded, generally from wounds, and 

 running down the bark in streams. This flux, or slime-flux, is 

 caused by the action of the fission fungus named, and if 

 neglected probably kills the trees. M. Crie, in his already 

 cited report, attributes much of the decaying condition of 

 apple trees in French orchards to this cause, although, as 

 he states, much has yet to be ascertained as to the life 

 history and action of this dangerous fungus. 



On going into an apple orchard, growths of a mushroom, 

 or rather " toadstool,'' character are plainly seen upon some 

 of the oldest and unhealthiest trees, and frequently near the 

 slime-flux, as if this afforded favourable conditions for such 

 growths, which belong to the Polyporece, true parasites, able 

 to kill living cells at one time of their existence, and 

 saprophytes at another period. These growths, species of 

 Polyporus and AgaricuSy are able to penetrate even to the 

 heart- wood of trees and destroy them. Some of them are so 

 large that they can be easily seen, and should be cut out oi* 

 taken off by scrapers, rubbed off repeatedly and checked 

 in their spore stages, or killed by washing with sulphate of 

 copper solutions. Tar may also be worked into the wounds 

 which harbour these fungi. 



There are other fungi and fission fungi of less importance 

 injurious to apple trees, of which there is not space to treat. 

 The careful cutting away of infected parts, and regular and 

 judicious spraying, will successfully combat these fungoid 

 disorders, while the selection of sound stocks, the burning 

 of infected branches, leaves, and fruits, and the avoidance 

 of all unnecessary wounds will materially prevent their 

 appearance. 



