THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN. 
91 
now to be little better than last year’s yield. So report the 
owners of orchards in those localities. Heretofore insects 
and worms have been the great destroyers. This year a 
blight of a fungus nature is the cause of the trouble. It 
affects oak trees as well. The leaves, suffering under this 
blight, turn brown or black and curl up ; as one grower 
describes it, the leaves look as if a torch light procession 
had pas.sed under the trees, and that the heat had scorched 
and withered the leaves. The pear blight, called the “ fire 
blight,” and the quince blight, known as the “ orange rust” 
have been carefully examined in the agricultural department 
of Cornell, and growers of those fruits have been provided 
with successful preventives for both blights by the state 
agricultural department. This blight on the apple and oak 
tree is apparently new. 
ECHOES EROM NIAGARA FALLS. 
The nineteenth annual meeting of the American Asso¬ 
ciation of Nurserymen has passed into history and in the 
rush which characterizes eveiy vocation in which Americans 
are found, the lessons which were taught at the Falls are 
likely to be forgotten. Chief among these lessons was that 
which urged the desirability of “ getting together.” The 
benefits of the association of ideas was felt during the two 
days convention, for there was not one present who would 
not say it was good to be there. More of the spirit of asso¬ 
ciation should be fostered by the members between the dates 
of the conventions, when all are scattered throughout the 
country. There is an unmistakable tendency in this direc¬ 
tion. It was vei'}’ properly encouraged at the convention by 
President Hale, who, in discussing the introduction of new 
fruits .said : ” My idea is that in the introduction of a new fruit 
we ought to make sure first that it has decided merit and pos¬ 
sesses some advantage not possessed by others of its class^ 
and that we should test it thoroughly before putting it on 
the market. It might succeed admirably with the origina¬ 
tors and be a failure everywhere else. I believe we should 
put it in the horticultural stations all over the country and 
let our friends take some of the stock and test it. Trust 
each other a little more. Do not be afraid that because you 
give your neighbor a bit of the .stock he is going to sell it 
and rob you of the benefits. I do not think there are many 
nurserymen in the country who are going to do that sort 
of thine. Do not be too exclusive. If it proves meritori- 
ous advertise it and push it to your utmost ability, then 
you may or may not get a reward. I cannot tell you that 
and I don’t believe anybody else can.” 
And W. C. Barry said : “ The supply of many things 
seems to keep in advance of the demand. If the propaga¬ 
tion of such stock could be reduced profits would be record¬ 
ed where losses are now sustained. But these conditions 
are of course beyond control except by general consent.” 
If the ob.stacles in the way of general and systematic co¬ 
operation among the nurserymen of the country are too 
great to be overcome at present, might there not be a grad¬ 
ual extension of an understanding among the leading grow¬ 
ers and dealers regarding the propagation of certain kinds of 
stock to the mutual advantage at once of those interested 
and the ultimate adjustment of difficulties which now exist ? 
At all events only good can result from a closer alliance 
among the members of the American Association and efforts 
to increase the membership of that organization. 
The July report of the Washington State Board of 
Horticulture states that during June fruit growers were 
constantly informed that the board requires nursery stock 
to be fumigated or otherwise disinfected ; that buyers shall 
require of persons distributing to show certificates of in¬ 
spection stating that the trees in their charge have been 
disinfected and appear free from insect pests. This indi¬ 
cates that there is no cessation of supervi-sion of nurser)' 
stock arriving in the state. 
Fall .sales are reported light in many sections but there 
is much encouragement in the results of la.st spring’s trade 
which showed that in spite of the panic the condition of 
business was much the same as in previous years. 
RESULT OF A NURSERYMAN’S SUIT. 
An interesting case was recently tried in the courts in 
Los Angeles, Cal. A nurser)'man named Cunningham 
brought 400 lemon trees to Los Angeles some time ago 
and they were found to be infested with black scale. The 
county officers notified Mr. Cunningham that they would 
have to be fumigated, and he told them he would be glad 
to have them do the work. One of the officers, Mr. Mc- 
Mullin, then fumigated the stock in the car in which it was 
shipped. Upon subsequent planting, some of the trees 
died, and the nurseryman claimed damages. The 
matter was submitted to arbitration, and Mr. Cunningham 
not being satisfied with the result, brought suit against John 
Scott, horticultural commissioner, and his assistant, Mr. 
McMullin, for damages. The case was decided in favor of 
the defendants, the judge holding that Mr. McMullin had 
exercised the usual precautions, that he was a competent 
individual, and that the damage to the stock was not the 
result of negligence or lack of information on his part. 
GEORGE W. CAMPBELL’S OPINION. 
George W. Campbell, Delaware, O.—“I wish The 
National Nurseryman continued and have pleasure in sending 
you the amt^int of subscription. It is certainly a model of excel¬ 
lence in every way, both in its printing and composition, and well 
worthy the patronage of every nurseryman in our country.” 
Bird, Dew & Hale, Treeville, Tenn.—W e have been 
reading your journal for quite a while. It is useful to us and a 
splendid paper for nurserymen.” 
