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THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON ROOT GALL TO THE 
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF NURSERYMEN 
E. A. SMITH, Lake City, Minn., Chairman 
While the past year has not been an eventful one in our 
department, it has been one of satisfactory results, secured 
largely through practical experiments, as reported by nursery¬ 
men and state experimental stations. These experiments 
are scattered over a wide area of country. 
Following is a list of Chairman of Committees appointed 
in different states; Geo. C. Roeding, Fresno, Calif.; L. A. 
Berckmans, Augusta, Ga.; C. T. Smith, Concord, Ga.; 
A. E. Robinson, Lexington, Mass.; C. M. Hobbs, Bridge¬ 
port, Ind.; Guy A. Bryant, Princeton, Ill.; J. H. Skinner, 
Topeka, Kans.; R. J. Bagby, New Haven, Mo.; E. A. 
Smith, Lake City, Minn.; D. J. Tighe, Billings, Mont.; 
G. A. Marshall, Arlington, Nebr.; J. Van Bindley, Guilford, 
N. C.; J. A. Lopeman, Enid, Okla.; Oregon Nursery Co., 
Orenco, Ore.; Abner Hoopes, West Chester, Pa.; Geo. H. 
Whiting, Yankton, S. D.; H. W. Chattin, Winchester, 
Tenn.; J. S. Kerr, Sherman, Texas; Washington Nursery 
Co., Toppenish, Wash.; Orlando Harrison, Berlin, Mary¬ 
land; E. S. Welch, Shenandoah, la.; T. J. Dinsmore, Troy, 
O. 
Several of this committee have lent active support, and 
have either set out trees for experimental purposes affected 
with root gall, or been instrumental in securing the coopera¬ 
tion of state experimental stations in this work. So far as 
we have been able to learn, all of the Committee are of the 
opinion that there is now but little to do except wait for 
time to determine the result of experiments already begun. 
This will result in an accumulation of valuable material 
for future reference. 
If these experiments had been commenced twenty years 
ago, the relation to the cause and effect of gall upon apple 
trees would now bo practically settled. 
Nurserymen cannot afford to work for the present alone, 
they must look to the future. It takes time to grow trees, it 
takes time to detennine the result of experiments. We 
must then be content to work and wait. It would still be 
advisable to undertake additional experments, and we trust 
that many nurserymen will see their way clear to assist in 
this work, directly or indirectly. 
Any information which will be of value to the Committee 
upon root gall should be reported either to the Committee 
appointed in that state, or to the Chainnan of the Committee, 
who will be appointed by the Association. A record should 
be kept as complete and clear as possible for the benefit of 
parties interested. We believe the sentiment of inspectors 
is changing to a considerable extent, regarding the damage 
actually resulting, especially from the hard form of root gall 
upon apple trees. 
Experiments Installed 
The following experiments have been reported as being 
undertaken the past year. If other experiments have been 
undertaken they should be reported to the Committee at 
once, for record. 
In Alabama, The Chase Nursery Co., of Huntsville, 
vere instrumental in getting the State Experimental Station, 
located at Auburn, Alabama, to undertake experiments. 
In California, The Fancher Creek Nursery, located at 
Fresno, Calif., of which Mr. Geo. Roeding is on the Com¬ 
mittee, have undertaken extensive experiments with peach, 
prune and almond trees. 
In Georgia, Mr. P. J. Berckmans, of the Berckmans 
Nursery Co., Augusta, Ga., was instrumental in securing 
cooperation of the Experimental Station located at Experi¬ 
ment, Ga. 
In Iowa, E. S. Welch, of the Mt. Arbor Nursery Co., 
has undertaken experiments which will be of special value. 
Mr. Welch advises that he has set out several hundred trees. 
They will be dug from time to time, and careful reports 
made upon them. The entire planting consists of 120 Jona¬ 
than trees with soft crown gall, 80 Jonathan with hard gall, 
200 Wealthy, practically all hard crown gall, 20 healthy 
Jonathan in another plot alongside the diseased trees. 
These trees were selected by Prof. Lorenz Greene, Experi¬ 
mentalist, and Dr. Buchanan, Bacteriologist, of the Iowa 
Experimental Station, Ames, la. The experiment is being 
conducted under their direction. 
In Montana, D. J. Tighe, of the Montana Nursery Co., 
located at Billings, is also undertaking interesting experi¬ 
ments, which will be reported upon from time to time. 
In Massachusetts, ■ Mr. A. E. Robinson, of the Breck- 
Robinson Nursery Co., Lexington, Mass., reports that up to 
this time he could not see any difference in the growth of 
apple trees affected with root gall, and those not affected. 
He has a number of trees under observation that will be 
reported upon. 
The Jewell Nursery Co., Lake City, Minn., who com¬ 
menced a series of experiments in 1905, report of which, in 
detail, has previously been placed before this Association, 
and is now in printed form, have further continued their 
experirhents by planting out a lot of trees the spring of igii. 
Three year old trees planted with root gall, spring, 1905, 
which were dug in the fall of 1909, and again transplanted in 
the spring, 1910, have made splendid growth, and blos¬ 
somed this spring. These trees are now nine years old from 
graft, have been twice transplanted, are about four inches in 
diameter, healthy and vigorous. They compare very 
favorably with other trees transplanted at the same time, 
which were not then affected with root gall. 
In Oregon, Mr. M. McDonald, of the Oregon Nursery Co., 
Orenco, Ore., advised that he would go into the subject 
thoroughly, and take the matter up with the Agricultural 
College at Corvallis, which had agreed to plant out one hund¬ 
red trees for experimental purposes. At the convention 
held at Salt Lake City the first week in June of this year, 
Mr. McDonald took up the question of nursery inspection 
from the standpoint of the nurseryman, and good results 
will, no doubt follow. 
