The herald., 1893-06-01
ROOT OF ALL FRUIT TREE EVIL,
Prof. WOodworth's Lecture to
the farmers Institute.
4 Statemect of Facts of Interest to
All Fruit Growers.
Professor OF tee University of Califor-
MIA Delivers vssy Able Dis
course on Eorm of
Fruit Disease.

Y. w. WocdWorth OF the University ol
California, under the auspices of the
Farmers' Institute of Lower California
and the Los Angeles Horticultural COM
mission.
Mr. Abbot Kinney of Lamanda Park
occupied the chair, and introduced
Professor Woodward in q few we'll
chosen words.
"The subject for discussion today .
said Professor Woodward, resolves
itself into two diseases, which are the
principal ones which will take our
attention. These two are of the great
est Importance, and are sour root, or
rotten root, and the crown knot or root
knot.
''In considering the question of these
diseases, we must first become &C.
quainted with the physical nature oil
the tree. The life of tree depends q
great deal upon the water-carrying con-
dition of the trunk. When we start
with the lower plants we notice that
they receive their eustenance and their
moisture from roots in the ground.
This moisture, after passing up through
the stem OF the plant, is given off
through the sides OF the stem and the
leaves. When we consider the larger
plants or trees, we notice that their
stems or trunks are protected by thick
bark, which keeps the inside tissue from
the atmosphere and allows the moisture
roots to the leaves, from which
it exudes and is evaporated into
the atmosphere. This bark, which
protects the trunk of the tree has no
pores and effectually prevents any evap-
orstion through 1t as in the lower grades
of plsnts. Every plant is composed Of
minute cells which are full OF moisture
These cells on the outside OF tree will
sometimes dry up and become filed
with air instead of moisture. They
then become dead and impart their
dried up condition inward until 1t affects
the inside living tissues OF the tree and
endangers its life. Another form OF dis
ease which may endanger the tree are
the parasites. Every organism is COM
posed Of cells which in living, healthy
condition will be taking in food and ex-
uding refuse matter increasingly. If
tree is in a perfectly healthy condition
IL can by the force OF it's exudstions
keep out and prevent any foreign mat
ter from obtaining resting place in its
pores, ii not the parasite once in place
continues to grow and eventually de-
etroys the tree. The germs found in
rotten root attacking trees OF the citrus
variety are the same which live among
all kinds of decaying vegetable matter.
They are probably bacteria, although
we have never found one form always
present. We find a great number OF
forms and all of them are those which
occur in decaying vegetable matter.
: The means by which this disease can
gain entrance to the tissues of tree
are, probably, first where the bark
around tree has been accidentally in
jured and before it can protect itself
and throw out new bark the rot has
entered, and in most cases is facilitated
by dampness. The second is where
tree has been planted where an
other one formerly was located or
over an old stump which yet
remaina in the ground, and whose de-
caying matter thoroughly impregnatea
it, 60 that the young tree by its secre-
tions is unable 20 throw off the germs
and is compelled to Huccumb to their in
roads. When these parasites once get
TO growing we'll they can by their secre-
tions kill the wood as fast as they in
crease and eventually kill the tree. The
effect OF these on tree ia that every
dry spell will dry out the wood of the
tree and make it almost like another
bark, yet not like bark in
every respect, becauee it will allow the
water which is carried up through the
trunk to escape through it and be evap-
GRATED and the leaves will yellow and
the tree bear no fruit.
When this is understood the condi-
tion which produces it must be removed
The parasiteH may be removed and all
that part of the tissue which is dis
eased should be treated with an ante
septic wash, Of which blue stone ia
probably the best, as it is perfectly
soluble.
Another method which gives good re-
suits is to graft in new bark 80 ae to de-
crease the time requisite in healing.
In this decrease, however, the chief
sourse of injury is the cutting off OF the
water supply, which otherwise would
traverse the inner tissues and reach
the leaves and fruit.
THE ROOT KNOT.
There is no one thing about which SO
many inquiries have been received as a
peculiar form of root knot or gall on a
number of plants, bnt chiefly grape and
Rpricots.
These knots are of irregular shape,
asshy and m ,stly situated at or about
the crown of the roots.
On different plants they present a
somewhat different appearance, but
they are 60 near alike in structure as to
prove that they must all be due to prae-
tically the same causes.
This form OF gall has received q num-
Der of local names, tbs most widely used
OF which 10 that of "black knot" par
ticularly for the form that occurs ON the
grape. This is an Objectionable name,
rs it has long been used in the eastern
states for different kind of gall taat
Dccurs on the stems OF cherries and re-
lated plants. On account OF it's presence
at the crown OF the root, almost invsria-
bly,, it may be called the crown gall or
knot. 80 as to distinguish it from other
iorms OF root gals, OF which there are
quite number of inds, sometimes
With much the same general appearance
"a the crown gall, but which show de-
sided preference for the ether parts CT
the roots.
The crown gals arise generally from
Dne side of tho crown as a
simple swelling OF fieshy SUBJ
,tsnce of about tho consistency of
potato or perhaps somewhat harder.
they so~n become irregularly granular
pver the surface and dark brown in
color, the outer parts OF the granulations
int which the surface is divided being