THE NATIONAL NURvSERYMAN 
233 
The injury evidently occurs in the field before the trees 
are stored and is not to be considered a storage problem 
simply because it becomes api)arent after the trees have 
been in the cellar for a period of time. 
Losses have also occurred from a similar trouble to 
cheny, plum, rose, pear, and in one or two instances ai)ple 
stock, but the damage has never been so important as in 
case of peach trees. The injury is apparently the same— 
the twigs are killed back and frequently a greater portion 
of the top is involved. Some varieties are often injured more 
than others, but the difference in susceptibility of varieties 
is not constant. The trouble appears to be local, one block 
of stock may be injured while other trees of the same variety 
grown in the same vicinity may come through the winter 
apparently unaffected. It is possible that this variation 
is due to differences in conditions of the soil, drainage, 
amount of cultivation, and so forth. Most certainly these 
factors influence the maturation of the trees and from all 
indications still immature when dug are more susceptible 
to the injury. 
The writer is informed that it is a common practice for 
growers of seedling stock in Europe to “sweat” the tops of 
the trees in order to remove the leaves. This procedure is 
necessary when seedlings are dug early in the fall for export * 
shipment. Since the trees are dug before the wood is 
properly matured, the foliage naturally clings to them and 
requires such a treatment as the “sweating” process in 
order to remove the leaves. If the treatment were rather 
severe the tender bark might be injured, and thus show the 
effects of the injury when received a few months later. 
Such a condition apparently explains the injury manifest 
in several boxes of apple and rose stocks received by different 
nurserymen during the past winter. The tops of the seed¬ 
lings were dead and dried out and showed a similar injury, 
to that affecting the peaches and other stock grown in this 
country. 
From the large number of tests made it is safe in conclud¬ 
ing that this particular trouble is not contagious. The 
injury does not spread from affected trees to healthy stock. 
Trees showing various stages of injury have been planted 
at different times, and in every case vigorous shoots have 
been put forth below the point of injury. Some of these are 
developing into thrifty orchard trees. 
Owing to the objections raised by the trade on receipt- 
of such trees, it appears perfectly legitimate for the nursery¬ 
men at shipping time to cut off the injured twigs or branches 
when the trunk of the tree is not affected too severely. 
Usually peaches are trimmed to a whip when set out, and 
trimming the top to some extent before the trees leave the 
cellar should not decrease their sale value. It is perhaps 
better for the nurserymen to bum the badly affected trees 
rather than have them rejected by his customers. It appears 
practicable for nurserymen to plant injured seedling stock 
providing the injury is not so severe as to interfere with 
the development of a stock suitable for budding. 
On the other hand it is suggested in every case that the 
opinion of one familiar with the pathological problems be 
obtained before any injured stock is shipped from the cellar 
or planted in the nursery. 
INSPECTION LAWS 
May 16, 1913. 
The National Nurseryman, 
Rochester, N. Y. 
Gentlemen: 
We are enclosing herewith a letter received recently 
from the State ’ Board of Agriculture of Massachusetts 
relative to the treatment of nursery stock infected by root- 
gall. If this ruling of the Federal Horticultural Board is 
to be universal, we fear results to the nurserymen who are 
growing stock in quantity will be very disastrous. ‘ 
We have just had a large consignment of imported 
Azaleas burned, because of being infected with root-gall, 
also quite a bunch of Craetagus and Flowering Apples. 
Kindly advise us if nurserymen in other states are having 
experience of a similar nature. 
Yours truly, 
Breck-Robinson Nursery Co., 
A. E. Robinson. 
Boston, May 2d, 1913. 
Mr. A. E. Robinson, 
Care Breck-Robinson Co., 
Lexington, Mass. 
Dear Mr. Robinson: 
In regard to the attitude of the Federal authorities in 
the matter of crown-gall infected stock, I quote the follow¬ 
ing from a letter received from Mr. W. A. Orton, member 
of the Federal Horticultural Board; “I have advised with 
Dr. Erwin F. Smith and Mr. M. B. Waite, our leading 
specialists on this subject, and find them in practical agree¬ 
ment on the policy outlined below. 
All plants found infected by root-gall should be destroyed. 
This procedure is followed in our own nurseries. It is 
established that while some of these might thrive when 
planted out and make a partial success others would strug¬ 
gle along and live for years as half failures, while others 
would go down rapidly, and all would serve for infecting 
other plants. 
Non-infected stock in a consignment containing cases of 
root-gall need not be destroyed, especially where the un¬ 
infected stock is conspicuously healthy, and where is exceeds 
50 per cent, of the whole. On the other hand, where the 
infected stock exceeds 50 per cent, and the remaining ma¬ 
terial is questionable or doubtful, it might be proper to 
destroy the entire shipment.” 
There seems to be no misunderstanding about the attitude 
of the Federal authorities in this matter, and all crown- 
gall infected stock coming into this State will be handled in 
the manner indicated, unless it is practicable to return it 
to the consignor as in the case of interstate stock where the 
consignor so desires. 
I will plan to have the stock destroyed in the near future 
which was found infected with crown-gall and placed in 
quarantine at our nurseries. 
Very truly yours, 
W. S. Regan, 
Chief Deputy Inspector. 
