Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-08-06
AGRICULTURAL.
BATTER PREPARED SPECIALLY FOR
TIE RECORD UNION"
Information Regarding Insect Pests in
Orchards and Diseases Of Trees
Burning Stubble.

IA rule the fruit growers of our State are
among the most intelligent and enterprising
OF our citizens They saw at an early day
chat our climate and surroundings generally
were very favorable TO the development of a
very extensive business in fruit growing on
the Pacific coast. The earlier successes in
the production of fruit of all kinds were
such as to attract the especial attention of
those who had been accustomed to
being among orchards in other countries. It
was observed that trees of the more common
kinds of fruits came into bearing here much
earlier than in Europe or in the Atlantic
States. Apples were not uncommon on trees
two wears from the bud, and the third year
it was quite common for good healthy trees
to give quite crop. Pears and peaches were
even more precocious in their habits, some
times bearing a few specimens the first year
after being budded, and giving crop the
second year that would pay for the trees and
their cultivation up to date. All other kinds
of fruit tried gave equally favorable promise.
1t was observed, also. that except few
wood-borers that appeared in apple and pear
trees exposed to the direct rays Of the sun,
and rot well cultivated or supplied with wa
ter TO keep up vigorous growth, no insects
were to be found as in other countries, to
menace and curtail the profits of fruit culture.
These considerations, together with the atura
,attractiveness of the business Itself, induced
qatae large number of persons at an early
day in the history of our State To embark
quits eXten lively In planting out orchards.
Fruit-growers, experienced in fruit.growing
Ia other countries, did not expect or antici
pate that the exemption from insect pests
would be permanent or perpetual in this
State, and hence were on the lookout each
year for the advent of some OF their old &C.
quaiutances in their new homes. Owing to
the isolation OF this State from old fruit
growing countries, the introduction of these
insects was delayed longer than could have
been expected. But at length, some five or
Elk years ago the
COOLING MOTH
Was observed in some of the apple and pear
o~ehsrds we think about Sacramento first.
This led t, the conclusion that they were in
8roduce re in fruit exh bitei at our State
Far from the East some ten years since.
We examined that Eastern fruit personally
and of our own knowledge know chat the cod
ling moth Larvae was found in many of the
specimens on exhibition. We also know that
many of the specimens were taken contrary
Co the wishes Of the officers of the Society in
charge from the Pavilion, and carried to the
homes of those taking them, and we have no
doubt the codling moth Was TINS introduced
into our State. There may have been other
ways by which this pest was brought among
US, but quite satisfied We are that it came In
this way. It may have been here before
this exhibition, but we are not aware that it
had ever been noticed by anyone prior to this
time, and it was not noticed for two or three
years after. As to
TIE TINT CATERPILLAR,
That is now making its appearance in various
sections We have no knowledge of how it was
first introduced; but as its eggs are deposited
on small branches of tees in one season, to
hatca out the following spring, it is probable
that the seed was brought from the East on
imported trees.
THE SCALE BUG,
vi various kinds, may have been brought
among US in the same manner, but we are of
The opinion that these lower species Of insect
aie evolved from or produced by natural
causes-thas they are the natural product OF
circumstances favorable to their existence,
and that they may be looked for at any time
and in any place where the conditions are
favorable TO their epontaneous growth. They
are simply disease OF the tree or vine on
which they appear and feed, of character
similar to moss or mildew, but of little
higher order and more destructive in proper
ton to their nearer approach to organized
animal existence. Nearly all kinds Of vege-
tation is subject to disease whenever from any
cause its life becomes feeble and its growth is
checked or rendered unnatural or defective
BY circumstances.
THE PEAR BLIGHT
So fatal in some seasons to the pear trees
in the more northern portions of the Atlantic
gsaboard, is undoubtedly traceable to the cir
camstances of a late or unnatural growth of
wood, caused by warm growing weather in the
fall, followed suddenly by cold freezing spells
The sap of the tree Is thus frozen and chilled
a0d rendered incapable of performing its
Haturalfunctiousin its descent, CT on It's return
from the extremes and leaves of the tree,
when By exposure to the air il has been pre-
pared to add to the outer layer of the weed.
Being thus devitalzed it ferments and causes
The black dead spots just under the bark,
known as pear blight. The following spring
tees 80 affected show outward signs Of dis
ea.e and decay by their general defective
foliage, or by the absence OF foliage on the
branches feeling the effects of the blight
must seriously.
THE cURLED LEAF
On the peach tree, though it has been the
puzzle of the horticulturists for years, and
though there are still almost as many opin-
ions as TO its causes as there are persons who
attempt to account Tor If, it is undoubtedly
in some way brought about by Inequality in
the flow of TIE sap. Il always occurs soon
after the foliage makes its appearance in the
spring, and is most prevalent on those kinds
Of the peach tree that have the most delicate
leaves and that produce the finest fruit. The
seasons, too, in which it is the most preya-
lent are such as bring with them what we
call an early growing spell, followed by an
opposite extreme Of cold, frosty or chilling
raiuy weather. The sap that was induced by
the growing spell to leap to the extremes of the
tree is thus chilled and thickened and rendered
Incapable ike the sap of the bli hted pea,
of returning in natural way down between
the bark and the wood and assimilating with
the tree, or, In other words, OF spreading On
= layer of wood /; and being thus retarded it
oozes out through the leaves and causes ~
natural growths or thick places on the leaves,
called curled leaf. The leaves being thus rem
-dered incapable of performing the natural !
functions Of lungs TO the tree, must be got rid
of, or the tree so afflicted will die. The
curled leaf to the tree is disease in some re-
spects analogous to consumption to human
being. Nature. however, comes tn the relief
Of the tree by casting off the diseased leaves
and supplying their lace with q new growth.
THE MILpEw
Ga the grape, we think, is also traceable to
distractions to the natural fl w of the sap, or
TO causes that make it flow up more rapidly
than the leaves can prepare it for return
aud assimilation with the canes and body of
the vine Hence it comes ont on the leaves
IN the form of midew or fungus growth, |
which in its turn. if not destroyed by sulphur
or some other dsinfecting Ingredient. and in
order to support its own life and existence,
consumes the sap If the vine, causes the
leaves to die prematurely, and checks the
gro With and coloring of the fruit.
THE BLIGHT
OF the grape vine that has appeared so gen.
orally in vineyards this season is, we think,
an exact counterpart of the Eastern pear
blight. The cause of this vine blight, like
the cause of the Eastern pear blight, ap.