70 
FLORIDA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 
METHODS OF CONTROL. 
It has been noticed time and again 
that a sappy condition of the trees ac¬ 
companied by a vigorous, succulent 
growth is a condition extremely favor¬ 
able for the development of blight. This 
condition should not be favored. Nitro¬ 
genous fertilizers should not be applied 
at all or only in limited quantities. Pot¬ 
ash and phosphoric acid should be given 
in normal amounts. Cultivation should 
cease and it is best to plant the ground 
about the trees with Bermuda grass, 
leaving a circle of four or five feet in 
diameter about the tree from which the 
grass should be cleared away from time 
to time. The method of treatment out¬ 
lined above, together with careful prun¬ 
ing, constitute the means of control. As 
soon as the blight has shown in spring, 
the twigs should be cut, and again in fall 
diseased branches should be taken out. 
They should be cut three or four inches 
below the line between the dead and liv¬ 
ing tissues, carefully removed and burn¬ 
ed. This treatment has been given to 
one of the trees on the Station grounds. 
It was very severely pruned, but will, I 
believe, mature about one bushel of fruit. 
Others not treated have no fruit what¬ 
ever. 
If pear blight is ever to be brought 
well under control it will call for a united 
effort on the part of all those who have 
pear trees in a community. One man 
may give the disease careful attention, 
but unless his neighbor does likewise the 
insects will carry the germs from the dis¬ 
eased to the healthy trees, thus render¬ 
ing his efforts in a large measure futile. 
DISCUSSION. 
Prof. Hume—I have touched but 
briefly upon a few of the common dis¬ 
eases which affect the fruit trees of the 
State. To go into the matter at length 
would be entirely too much. I would 
say in relation to this new disease of the 
orange, that it may be a new phase of an 
old enemy, and I would like some of the 
orange growers to take this twig and see 
if you ever saw it before. 
Mr. Porcher—I would like to get 
Prof. Hume to give us, if possible, some 
information as to the foliage affected by 
this new trouble? 
Prof. Hume—I am sorry to say, Mr. 
Porcher, that I have not seen the foliage 
—nothing but those twigs. I have a 
suspicion that it is allied to the red rust. 
This came from Manatee county and was 
forwarded to me by Mr. Stebbins. 
Mr. Baker—How far back does your 
investigation of this disease of the peach 
tree date? 
Prof. Hume— I only started on it this 
present year, and have been working on 
it four months perhaps. 
