The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1866-08-09
Meeting OF the Hooking Valley HOrti-
..l cultural Society. -,-n-

hardly know how. u 2
Meeting OF the Hooking Valley Horti-
cultural Society 'se.
ec r HORTICULTURAL RooMs. !
LANCASTER, July 28, 1866. I
Society met, pursuant. to adjourn.
meht-Vice President R. J. Black in
the Chair. q
The minutes Of the preceding meet
ing were read and approved.
The subject of the time Of holding
the Fall exhibition being taken up, at.
ter some discussion, on motion, it was
resolved to hold said exhibition on
Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. the
2Oth, 2lst. and 22d days ofSeptember.
Mr. Fetters, Corresponding Secreta,
ry, presented 2 packages wheat and
monthly report, fiom Dept. of Agricul.
The subject for discussion-the fruit
tree blight, &c, was taken up
DR.. Lewis said the affection called
blight was not confined TO fruit trees,
10 had observed it in the foliage of the
most ha.dy forest trees--thought that G.
lectricity was the agent which produced
this affection, adduclhg numerous cir
cuinstances going 10 show that such
was the case. ag- ,a- j,.a"
Mr. Bovipg-There appears to be
three different kinds Of blight prevail
ing this seasdn-one, affecting the ap.
pletree only, where it appears scatter
ingly over the tree, upon the new
grown twigs; another that of the pear
tree. where entire limbs are strnck
suddenly, the leaves turning black at
once;' tho third, affecting the whole
tree, all the loaves beginning to wilt as
if dying gradu lily, ~ nj
Mr. Clark said he last mentioned
case was not blight but the trouble
proceeded from some affection of the
root. In general, the blight now pre-
vailing was caused by the severe win.
ter-the remedy is to cut quick and
close.
Mr. Barr attributed the difficulty
as it appears in his orchard, to insects
Had observed that the dead and greer
wood in the limbs affected were sepa
rated by a distinct ring, above whicl
the wood is entirely dead, while below
it is in full vitality At this. point il
breaks abruptly and very easily, as i
sawed through. In the dead portion
Of some limbs he had detected a small
worm, which he supposed to be tn,
Iarva of some insect which had stunl
The limb aud deposited its egg there
in. The pear tree blight he conceivci
to be different, appearing TO extent
from extremities OF LIMBS, ifnot check
ed, till the whole tree dies.
Dr. Dennis said that insects nigh
occasionally cause such an affection blu
the general cause was electricity
Trees are attacked when electrica
storms come on suddenly in dr.
time. During q prevalence of we
weather, such storms will not produc
that effect. The tree being conduc
tor in dry condition ofthe earth tn
fluid is not carried off as fast as SUP
piled, and hence the blight Think
that the disease is spent with the dealt
OF the limb attacked
Judge Ewing differed with MI
Clark as 10 the nature Of the pear tire
blight. This season he had observe
ins ances where the affection was lin
ited 10 space between the base an
the extremity of limbs-injury fror
winter would affect the extremitie
first Had one tree this season ha|
destroyed BY sudden attack ,occurrin
when the fruit was nearly mature in slz
the tree apparently in most vigorou
health. The blight in this case affect
ed foliage, wood and fruit. Reterrin
to the electric theory, he proposes tri'
Of u remedy recommended, by attach
/. ing iron to the trees in some form.
The President, (Mr, Kinkead) ha
, been informed of instances where hang
ing horse shoes upon the limbs ha
been eficacious in preventing blight,
DR.. Dennis had seen it tried on tn
ounce, with success.
= Mr.. Fetters had tried the iron remt
| dy-oue tree hung all over with iro
was nevertheless blightcd. Did nc
} think it electricity. In pear bligl
the leaves turn back-in the appl
:, red, In the apple, his observation co
: responded with that of Mr., Barr as
= the abrupt joining of dead and gree
: wood. The green portion will thro
: out new shoots close up to the divi,
ing ring. Thinks the a-ent of mi
+ chief in such cases TO be an insect.
y the case of the pear, the whole lin
Q sometimes the whole tree, shares
! the affection. Believes the root h
! much to do with it. When the ro
y strikes something uncOngenial or po
n onous in the soil, blight at once {
a tacks the portion OF the tree depen
J. ing on that root,
DR. Lewis submitted further arg
ments and considerations in favor
% the electric theory-his remarks bel
= TOO extended for the space at comma
. of the reporter ~ a'9llf % ~
l. Mr., Busby joined in the opinion th