Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-01-16

the upper surfaces of leaves, twigs and fruit.
This gum holds the dust that chances to
fall upon the surfaces covered by it, and
the mass generates fungus growth termed
black smut. This smut, although seeming
to do no damage to the tree other than to
render it unsightly must retard its growth
by obstructing the stomata or air-breathing
surfaces of leaves and branches. 1t also
renders the fruit unstable, or nearly So
Neither scale nor smut should be tolerated
in an orchard. The whale-oil soap solution
extirpates both.
THE RED SCALE.
This is similar to the black scale, except
that it is somewhat smaller and of red
dish color. 1t adheres only to the under
side of the leaves and 10 the fruit, and
avoids the limb and trunk. The red scale
is more dangerous than the black. and, if
unmolested, will utterly destroy an orchard
in few years. The white or cottony cush-
ion scale approaches more nearly to dis
tinct animal than either OF the other scales,
and is the most dangerous of the three.
GUM DISEASE.
Lemon trees especially, and orange trees
occasionally, are subject to gum disease
an affection OF the bark clos, to the ground
This is caused by injudicious irrigation.
llc DdIh spins anu CAhOcS ne
best treatment, upon discovering the first
symptoms of gum disease, is TO cut away
the affected part and daub the wound with
paint, wax or tar.
Die back" and many of the other
maladies to which the orange trees of Flo
rida and some other lands are subject,
are wholly unknown in this country.
The recipes and methods of treatment
of the pests referred to are deliberately set
forth in the work of Mr.. Cooke, and have
many times been described in the RECORD
UNION. We do not reproduce them here,
believing that they should be studied from
the original text The washing of the
young orchard is advised to counteract ex-
traneous growth, either scale or smut. 1t
is preventive, and for older trees already
infested is imperative. 1t might as well be
accepted by the orange-growers of Cali
fornia as an unavoidable conclusion that
all orange trees, to be healthy, productive
and long lived must be washed.
The solution in common use for this pur-
pose is made of whale-oil or some other
cheap and strong soap. For my use have
found the addition of little concentr ated
I've most efficacious. The strength of the
solution needs TO be varied to suit require
ments. The strongest is needed in treating
obstinate scale For simply washing trees
to cleanse them. as a measure of proven
ton, l recommend the following:
Heat the water almost to the boiling
point and dissolve in it sufficient concen-
trated I've to make it slippery between the
fingers. Then add whale-oil soap, quar-
ter pound to the gallon. The solution may
be applied TO the trees hot without danger
of injuring them.
For stronger washes, and those of various
kinds. such as tobacco mixture, coal oil
emulsions, ETC, the work of Matthew Cooke
may be consulted
A broom or scrubbing brush is service
able for washing the stock and main limbs
of the tree. In treating the tops, the solu-
ton may be " switched in with a broom
or brush or sprayed with hand sprinkler.
The switching process is available
only with small trees when the tops are
well thinned out. For those of larger
growth hand sprinkler, called the
sprayer," is used Shown by illustration in
this article, and small force-pump
mounted on barrel, containing the solu-