Connecticut western news., 1879-07-09
Disease in Trees.

The disease called "bark bound" is caused by the bark being girded or bound about the wood of the tree, there by preventing the proper flow of the sap, and also arresting the descent of woody matter between the wood and bark. If the cause of this disease be not remedied in time, the vital fluids become gradual ly checked, till at length the passages become entirely closed, and, as natural consequence, the tree dies.
 The appearance of ichens on the bark of trees is not always symptom of disease, but may be occasioned by temporary Arrangement of the outer bark, and if observed in time, diseases may be arrested by removing the cause 1 before it has had time to become deci- dedly fixed in the constitution of the trees affected.
 Willows and poplars, which luxuriate in soil rather damp than otherwise, generally become stag-horn topped when grown in soil too dry for their healthy development. Elm, oak, ash, plane, etc., generally become in the same con- -dltion when the soil in which they are grown is too damp to maintain them in a healthy state.
 "Scale is small white insect found clinging to the bark of some species. In
 forest trees it is usually found upon the
 ash while in young state. These in-
 sects appear like very numerous small
 white spots, like those on the bark of
 the birch.
 As to premature seed bearing, it may
 be said that trees in 8 healthy, rapid
 growing state are seldom found to pro. duce seed till they have arrived at con-
 siderable age and size. Generally speak ing, any forest tree under forty years ot age bearing much seed is not likely tc arrive at valuable size. When a young tree produces profusion of seed there : can be no doubt that it is in state O. premature decay, and we may be assured that it will not become valuable al timber.
 Dropsy generally takes place in fores trees either where the soil is too rich fol them, or where there is an excess O. moisture about the roots. The cause appears to be that the roots absorb into the system of the tree an excess of juice which the leaves and bark cannot assim Hate. In this disease unnatural swell
 ings are observed on some part of the stem, and which begin to rot and throw off the bark. It is incurable, and the only thing to do is to preventit it by proper drainage of the ground aud seeing that 1t be not over rich.
 An ulcer much resembles dropsy, but it is mostly confined to the larch anc others of the carniferous tribe. Its ap
 pearance is that of running sore upor the side of the stem, where the natura juices escape in the form of hard resin ous matter. This disease IS mostly found upon young trees of this order and IS frequently occasloned by insects lodging their eggs in the inner bark where the young live for time ant : destroy the alburnum.
 Wounds are often caused by the tree, receiving damage on their stems by hay ing the bark peeled off by accident jI some way or other, and may not onl, prove injurious to their health, but alst be frequent cause of death. But an, simple wound male upon healthy tree
 is seldom or never found injurious, bu |; soon heals up.
 The stunted growth of young wood i at once apparent by the very short an } nual growth of young wood upon all tn lateral branches, and may be ia genera , the natural result of any of the disease l already described. Every tree, when has attained its full size and developmen
 of its nature, however healthy it ma,
 have hitherto been, gradually begins t,
 fail in making young wood. This is th'
 work of time, doing to the old tree wha
 the disease does to the young.