The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1875-04-01
Pear Tree Blight-Positive Remedies.

This is topic likely to be widely dis
cussed during the season of conventions,
and deserves attention. Pertinent to the
subject we publish IN the RuraI Neso
Yorker extracts from a letter written a
year or more ago by William Saunders,
of the gardens of the Department OF
Agriculture. He says:
Twenty years ago became convinced
of the almost invariable presence OF fun
gold growths in diseased plants, and have
been liberal in the application OF sui
phur, lime and other ingredients known
to be destructive of fungoid spores.
When, therefore, Thomas Meehan, a
few years ago, suggested that the So
called blight on the branches and trunks
of the pear was due to the presence of
fungi, at once saw the force of his OBJ
servations and conclusions, and it was
very natural resort to apply such rem.
edies as were we'll known to be effectual
in similar cases.
Another favorable consideration was
the easiness of application; it would not
REQUIRE much labor and still less of skill
to whitewash the trunk and branches of
tree; and the cost of materials was
scarcely worth counting, in comparison
with the results sought to be obtained.
I further recollected that the practice
INDUCED in by some farmers in extend
ing the operation of whitewashing out
buildings and fences so as to include the
stems of the shade-trees in their door
yards "a practice which, regarded merely
as an artistical embellishments, had fire.
uuently and somewhat earnestly con-
demned), resulted in the maintenance of
a smooth, clean bark, free from epiphytes
and parasites, and instead of doing injury
was evidently conducive to the health
and well. being of the plant.
During the summer of 1868 standard
pear tree, having a stem six inches in
diameter. was observed to be almost
girdled by a blight near the surface of
the ground; the bark for fully three
| fourths of the circumference was black,
indurated and dead. On close examina-
ton it was observed that the fungoid
growth was rapidly encircling the trunk
and would speedily destroy the plant, as
had previously occurred to several trees
| in the same row. A thick coating of
wash was spread over the affected parts
and in the course of few weeks it be.
came evident that "the plague was
staved." A callus commenced to form
along the margin of the remaining bark
and that tree IS alive and well to this
day.
This was so far encouraging that
made semi-weekly examinations OF the
trees, with the view of applying the
wash at any point where its necessity
was Indicated; but unfortunately tn
first indication of disease was generally
q dead branch, with blackened leave!
gone past recovery; so the wash was
no use, and as it was not very ornamental
it was for the time abandoned.
It was then resolved to use the wash Al
u preventive, and during the following
winter some of the more valuable tree
received careful application on tn
stem and over the main branches a
high up as could readily be reached from
the ground. The results of these ant
similar trials convinced me that thl
process, if it would not entirely proven
the blight on the pear tree-and l an
net satisfied that it willis so far use
full as to be worthy of general adoption
not only as preventive OF tungoi'
growths, but also as a valuable aid il
the determination of insects.
The wash that l have used is prepared
by placing half bushel of lime an
four pounds of powdered sulphur in
tight barrel, shaking the lime with he
water, the mouth Of the barrel bein
; covered with cloth. This is reduced t
; the consistence of ordinary whitewasf
ard at the time of application half a
} ounce of carbolic acid is added to eac
; gallon of the liquid as matter of tast
} in color have added o small portion c
, SCOT. but think that the white color
} best for the trees. I generally apply
during early spring before the leave
make their appearance, but I am col
, vinced that it would be more effective
applied later; but then it would be diff
cult to do so when the tree is In foliag
1 l-RuraI Neao Yorker. -