The Florida agriculturist., 1889-05-15

exists in the natural soil, couple OF
years growth of trees and crops will
usually suffice to bring it down to the
proper proportion, and the tree will
then become healthy, otherwise they
had best be dug up and removed to
more cOngenial SOIL The same should
be done With trees that are diseased
from being planted over hard-pan or too
close to water.
MAL-DEs COMA although this disease
has existed for many years and done
great damage in the orange and lemon
groves of Europe, it seems to be little
understood by most orange growers
throughout the State. Having several
trees effected with it in pine land grove
of mine, and considering it likely to be
a very serious drawback to the culture,
of several kinds of acid fruits, have
taken considerable pains to learn what |
could of it. In Europe it seems to be
the chief enemy of the citrus fruit cul-
turists, and every known drug at all
likely to effect it, seems to have been
tried for it's cure. Governments have
offered large rewards to anyone who Will
find sure remedy, and yet it is assert
ed that nothing of any value has yet
been found, either with regard to the
cause of the disease or the remedy for it"
r a description of the disease as it
is known in Florida, and its supposed
causes, as well as preventiOns and
cure, / refer you to the report of
Prof A. H. Curtis, in Bulletin No. 2 of
the Florida Experimental Station; also
published in the Farmer and Fruit
Gro Wer of August, 1888 This report
gives us more encouragement than the
above quotation would lead us to expect,
and as Mr. Bevan, of St. Augustine, was
therein spoken of as having been snc
cessful in curing it, [ wrote to him for
his method and got the following reply:
W. S. Hart N
DEAR SIR: Yours of 18th received. My curefor
the foot rot is simple and easy to do that
cannot make long story out OF it. irst remove
all of the top earth from the base of the tree and
for about two and one-half feet all around, leav-
ing the large roots entirely exposed; taking the
earth away from under the roots as we'll as
top of them; then get carbOy OF sulphurous
acid and mix with equal parts of water and wash
the base and roots with the mixture, using Q
whitewash brush Then take flower of sulphur
and sprinkle the roots and base and on the
ground where the top earth has been taken away.
This should be done twice year, spring and
fall for two years, and after that the sulphur
only used once year. The earth that has been
taken away should never be put back. but the
roots should be left exposed always, as the tree
will do a great deal better.
l lost good many trees befOreI commenced to
use he acid and sulphur, but none since, and /
have effected some wonderful cures OF trees that
were almost dead. / have been using the acid
and sulphur for nearly five years. rees budded
on the sour never have the foot rot, it's only the
good for nothing seedlings that we have trouble
with. g. M BEvAN.
Many have claimed to cure it, but as
it is intermittent - apparently being
cured at times and healing all around the
sores, then in several months or a year
or two yea later coming out again to
repeat the process until the tree is en-
tireiy girdled and killed. fear that
many of them have mistaken the natural
cessation of the disease for cure, when.
their preparations may have bad no eff
feet upon it whatever.
In the above cited case, however, there
seems to have been radical cures affect.
ed, and | would suggest that further
tests of this remedy be made. and espec-
tally so, as it seems to be the one most
highly recommended in those districts of
other countries where this disease has
be IN longest known.
SCAB.-This disease is confined mostly
to the leaves of the sour orange and lem
on, and also the fruit of the latter, max
ing it rough and lowering IT'S grade for
market. 1t res not seem to be fatal to
either tree, and when buds of the sweet
orange are inserted in sour stocks affect
ed with it the buds show no bad effects
from it. 1t is on the lemon that it be-
comes a serious drawback to their cult
ure if no remedy is found.
BLIGHT-With us is comparatively
new disease of the orange, and one, If