Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1882-07-05
Two Troubles In a Young Orchard.
SPLITTING OF THE BARK.


We often find in the spring that young
apple trees in the nursery or orchard have
the bark split open near the ground, and
raised from the wood partly, or entirely,
around the tree. We notice this in the
spring, but close observation tells us that
it is done in the fall, and is commonly pro-
duced by the first hard freeze, especially if
it comes early, and the season is wet. Some
varieties are very subject to this splitting,
while others are almost or entirely exempt
from it. 1t extends, as regards locality,
from the northern limits of the apple to at
least as far south as New Jersey, and as it
takes place even in the north, as the result
of early and not very severe freezes, there
seems no reason why it should not OCCASION
ally happen nearly anywhere that apples are
grown. No one has ever, to our knowledge,
suggested a means of prevention and only
one writer professor Joseph L. Budd, Hor-
ticulturist of the Iowa Agricultural College)
has investigated the cause. Professor Budd
tells us that the varieties subject to splitting
have more porous bark than others, and
that the lower part of the trunk in those
varieties which split will always be sure to
be wet for some distance above the ground
after wet weather, and to remain so for
some time when the unsplitting kind will
be dry. He believes the splitting to be due
to this excess of water in the bark, near the
ground, in consequence of the excessive
capillarity or porosity Of the bark of such
varieties. From the way Professor Budd
speaks of it we infer that he regards this
saturation of the bark as physical rather
than vital,-that is, that it is not a redun-
dancy of sap, but mere temporary water
soaking. AS to prevention, no satisfactory
one has ever been proposed for this evil.
We may avoid it by choosing only such
sorts as are not subject to it F; but this would
exclude many of our best apples. Fortu-
nately the bark is not often loosened entirely
around the tree. In many instances the
separation extends only little way on each
side of the crack. Even when nothing is
done the injury merely, in such cases, checks
the growth of the succeeding year, and is
soon overgrown. But in a proportion,
greater or less, of the cases, the separation
of bark is considerable, and sometimes total
If these are taken in the fall, soon sftel
their occurrence, and carefully wound with
! waxed cloth, so as to draw the started barb
closely together and bind it snugly to th'
wood, reunion may be expected, and th'
tree be saved. It is important to look ovel
the trees after smart freezes in October anc
November, in order to discover these in
juries Immediately after their infiiction
As the waxing has to be done in col'
weather, it is necessary to carry vessel o
live Goals about with you, in order to warn
up the waxed cloth. For this kind of a jol
we use cloth that has had an extra applica
ton of wax upon one side. This extr
waxing is wound next to the tree. Thoug
injury of this kind is most common in quit
small trees, yet we have had 1t occur il
! bearing trees three inches in diameter, am
!, very badly, too.
DEATH OF THE BARK.
An evil very greatly complained of i
Northern Vermont, but of the extent G
which in other localities we are not il
formed, is the death of the bark of appl
J. trees upon the trunk, within two feet of tn
ground, in most cases. This, like the spill
ting, does not occur to all varieties. Som
\ (and these. often, are kinds that suffer tn
! worst from splitting) are not affected at a
by the death of the bark, or " bark-blight
!. as it is sometimes called. There are vari
: ties Of apples, (notably the Duchess
Oldenburgh) in which an abortive form
u the disease is frequent, only the outer lay
of bark being killed. This gives scabt
appearance, and seems to check the growt
some, but is soon recovered from in goC
soil. For many years it has been held al
r. tauOht that this disease is produced