— 18— 
they form. Such miniature forests of crystals can be found 
in green plants even after slight freezing, as well as in rip- 
ened wood in severely low temperatures.” The process of 
crystal growth is further explained as follows: “In the 
trunks of trees the crystalizations begin in any part where 
there is proportionally most pure water. The very process 
of solidification causes, by the law of equal diffusion, a 
movement of water from adjoining parts, toward the point 
from which the first liquid (as such ) is removed. Hence 
the ice crystals first formed constantly grow, attracting as it 
were the water from neighboring parts of the tissue, d'his 
growth of the crystals, associated as they occur in close lay- 
ers, pushes asunder the normally connected tissues.” The 
theory here given being based upon careful observations, 
and being in perfect accord with physical laws has been 
accepted as the true explanation of the trouble under dis- 
cussion. It will be noted that the operation of the theory 
depends upon the presence of iluid sap, and that the greater 
the water content of the tree the more liable it is to injury. 
It follows that the same conditions that protect against 
other frost injuries will protect against this. Fruit grow- 
ers should therefore, use every endeavor to thoroughly 
ripen the wood of the trees before winter sets in and thus 
reduce the liability to injury from frost to the minimum. 
FUNGOUS DISEASES. 
Leaf Blight or Rust of the strawberry. This is a cos- 
mopolitan disease due to the parasitic fungus known as 
Spha^rella fragari?c. While our climatic conditions are in 
general unfavorable for the development of this disease, we 
do occasionally have periods during which it does injury. 
Moisture is necessary for the germination of the spores, 
and the fungus can spread to an injurious extent only dur- 
ing moist and warm weather. The month of June, 1895, 
was marked by prevailing high temperature and frequent 
showers, and during that time the disease did considerable 
damage to strawberry beds about Fort Collins, d'his past 
season the disease started under somewhat similar condi- 
tions toward the latter part of May, but showers becoming 
less frequent it did no serious damage. 
All growers are familiar with the purple or red spots 
which mark the presence of this disease, d'hese spots en- 
large and become of a brown color ; finally, by the growth 
of the spores beneath, the cuticle is ruptured and they then 
apijear white at the center with a brownish ring outside. 
Affected leaves soon turn brown throughout and die. 
d'his loss of foliage saps the vitality of the plant, and if 
