The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1910-08-03

bic to attack. that the bacteria enter
the cut ends OF shoots, etc. AS to
the second problem. they tell us moth
ing. Now some years ago, seeing that
the phenomena of blight were mex
plicable on the external theory of
an attack from the air exclusively,
pothesis--which is that the bacteria
are indigenous to. and in the sap of
every pear and apple tree naturally,
in limited numbers. and perhaps. un-
der normal condition play specific.
useful part in the life and develop
ment of the trees. A contrary sup
position demands belief in an ac-
tual creation of this germ a hundred
or so years ago, when the disease
first appeared in New England. But
science denies the possibility of spOn-
taneous generation or an actual new
creation: consequently, the germs
must have been in the trees and de-
veloped at that time as n result IF
certain favorable conditions of tenn
peraturc, moisture, light and electric
ity. Theron lies the whole problem
of bacterial life.
Exist I'm Sap
"Rcasoning from analogy, is it not
also highly probable that bacteria
exist naturally in the sap or blood Of
plants and trees? 1t Is plain that
there is a marked similarity between
the diseases Of man and Of trees. We
see the quick and fatal work of
cholera duplicated in fire blight of
the limbs and leaves of the apple,
pear and English walnut of Califor-
consumption in the ycllows, while
black knot, root-rot. crown-gall and
root-knot give perfect counterparts
to the various forms of scrofula.
In One Orchard.
But returning now to pear, APP
pie and walnut blight. | will give II
short history of an orchard near
Galveston, giving the experience OF
Mr. Stringfellow. He says as follows:
The first outbreak Of the disease in
south Texas occurred IA years ago.
Up to that time there had never been
case of pear blight within one
hundred and fifty miles of it, dis
tant about five miles from the Gulf of
Mexico. The orchard was ten years
old, and in the spring Of 1893 the
1900 trees bloomed like a snow bank
and set an enormous crop. / knew
that the pears should be thinned, but
the trees being 50 large, and having
matured heavy crops of fine fruit b,
fore without thinning, / concluded to
let them alone. The ground had
been moved sod for two years; but,
knowing the trees had hard work
before them, ana ignorantly thinking
to help them, the whole orchard was
lightly plowed in March and kept
absolutely clean until July.
Very Dry Season.
" The spring and summer were
very dry, which, with the enormous
crops. many trees having over %
boxes, checked all growth and sent
them to rest as completely az mid
winter Now here was the first con-
dition preCent to blight the next year
viz: suspended growth during the
natural growing season. The wealth
er continued quite dry he says, 'un-
til November, when good rains fell.
and, being in the nursery business.
mainly growing pear trees from tho
cuttings, | set twenty men to work.
making the cuttings from the early
spring growth and much two year
wood. Blu January we had in over
one million cuttings; and. the wintc"
having been mild and wet. stimu.at-
ed by it and the heavy pruning. stra }
blossoms began % show here aud
thers and shoot- to Rual from thr