The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-06-16

are not only strong general reason for
doubling the notion, but several minor
| observations r also against it. For
instance, two Sekel pear trees, equally
exposed and of the same age, both Of
which bore a heavy crop last year
stand but a rod apart, and were in
bloom at the same time: one has no
fruit and the other is loaded. We
have all observed good crops of fruit
in years when heavy rains fell at
blooming time.
In undertaking to determine why
blossoms fail to set, it should be borne
in mind that fully four-fifth5 of the
flowers of apples and pears fall natur-
ally. Thefowers are borne in clusters,
yet the fruits are usually borne singIy.
The redundancy Of flowers appears to
be natures method Of insuring fertiliza-
ton, by increasing the amount of
pollen and multiplying the chances
of success. The blossom which is
strongest. or which gets the best start,
wholly aside from it's position in the
cluster, appropriates energy to itself,
while it's neighbors fail.
In most cases the apples had set and
were about the size of small peas when
they began to die. They withered,
turned brown and fell. The date of
attack varied somewhat in varieties
which bloom at different times. The
Greetings died before the late flower
ing sorts, but all were attacked at
about the same period of growth. At
the same time, the young leaves began
to look unhealthy, and they rapidly
assumed a blighted appearance. Most
growers assert that those trees which
bloomed most profusely were most
attacked by the leaf blight. Three or
four years ago a similar failing of
flowers and blighting of foliage occur
red, at least in some parts Of Orleans
county. In that case, however, the
attack is reported to have been a little
earlier, and the flower clusters often
fell off entire. The meteorological con
ditions were similar in both years.
All these facts show that there is an
intimate connection between the death
of the flowers or young fruit and the
blighting of the leaves. The blight is
caused by the apple scab fungus.
Whether the flowers or young fruits
were actually attacked by the fungus
in this case, or whether they fell be-
cause of the impaired vitality Of the
injured trees, I am unable to say but
it is probable that their death is due in
large part, directly or indirectly, to
the fungus. This apple scab fungus
F'~8iclodiunp dendriticWn), which is
SO destructive to foliage, is the one
which causes the scab upon the fruit
itself. 1t isnearly always present to a
greater or less extent upon both leaves
and fruit, but is rarely so destructive
to foliage as this year. 1t has increased
rapidly in New York of late years,
and last year the apples was unusually
scabby. The wet spring afforded it
just the conditions for rapid growth.
It appears to be somewhat worse upon
low and undrained lands than upon
high and warm elevations, although
the latter r never by any means
exempt in the infected regions. Some
growers think that the scant bliaged
varieties, like Spitzenburg, are most
seriously injured. The growth of the
wood is very scant because of the I'm
healthy foliage.
I am strongly of the opinion that a
large part of the apple failure this year
is due to the unusual and very early
development of the scab fungus. If
the season next year is like the last
one-cool and very wet at blooming
may expect a return of the
difficulty, but there is reason to expect
that the same conditions will not occur
again for some years. The scab will
undoubtedly always be bad, however,
but it usually appears later in the
season, and makes the fruits spotted
and gnarled instead of causing them
to fall.
The last two seasons have demon
strated that carbonate of copper is a
sure remedy for the apple scab fungus.
1t is not yet fully demonstrated just
what are the best times to make the
application, but it is necessary to be-
gin before the flowers open, and to
make from four to six applications
between that time and the first OF
August. Three applications at any
rate should be made, one before the
blossoms open, one just after they fall,
and another three or four weeks later.
These applications, ever when a half
dozen, need not cost more than Is to