The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1895-01-17
APARAsITIc A FUNGUS.

Advices received by the Oregon state
| board of horticulture from Professor New
ton B. Pierce, the government agent who
recently spent about two months in this
state and Washington, studying the disease
affecting the apple trees, which has COM
monty been termed by the growers ''black-
spot" show that his Investigations have
been carried far enough to prove that 1t is a
parasitic fungus. From the study made in
the field while here, and OF the specimens
he took to his laboratory at Santa Ana, Cal, i,
he Is now trying to determine its life history.
The Importance of Professor Pierce's dis.
covery to the Oregon fruit grower cannot be
overestimated, as it removes the doubt on
the part of many as to the nature of the dis
ease, and provides remedy for its control.
trunk and branches of year.oh apple
tree from Mr. Chases fine young orchard
was sent by the board of horticulture to the
department at Washington last spring for
Identification, and that it was new to them.
It was at the urgent request of the board
that Mr.. Pierce was instructed to visit this
state and investigate the trouble.
1t is pleasing to the fruit growers to
know the result of Mr.. Pierce's investiga-
tion at this season of the year, as they can
begin operations to keep it under control ut
once. He states that the treatment should
be preventive rather than curative, and
recommends the use Of tho Bordeaux mixture
during the rainy season. Frequent applica-
tions should be made to the affected parts.
In the spring, frequent applications of the
lime, sulphur and blue vitriol spray will no
doubt be very effective regonian.
Although this disease has already resulted
in great damage to the horticultural inter.
ests of the state, it has received no attention
by the Oregon experiment station; due, it is
claimed, to lack of funds. Some weeks ago
a member of the station council stated to
GAZETTE representative that the disease had
not made its appearance upon the fruit about
the college farm, and ne was of the opinion
that the damage repors by fruit growers
was the result Of ''suu.-~-!d" rather than
''black- spot" This theory, however, is
disproved by the fact that the disease very
often makes its appearance on the north side
OF the tree, which would be impossible in
case of injury from the SUMS rays. Re
Gently four-ycar- old '2prune tree effected
with both "sun. scald" and "black.spot" was
left at this office, (which plainly shows the
damaging effects of the latter complaint.
The specimen is well.fnrmed tree, about
one and one-haIf inches in diameter. The
trouble made Its appearance first, on the
north side of the tree. 1t began near the
ground, running up the trunk for distance
of Is inches, almost encompassing the tree
and leaving only space ons-half of an inch
wide on the south side for the circulation of
the sap. Wherever effected, the bark had
become discolored and ssdied. When first
noticed, it was thought the presence of the
disease might be traced to some local cause,
but subsequent developments proved that it
had gained footing in both Eastern Oregon
and Washington, where irrigation was nee
essary, and also in theswsstern portious of
these states where there was an abundant
rainfall. It was fsuad to exist on tho upiands
as well as ON the lowlands. Soil, location
or climatis conditions appeared to make no
difference with the disease; it seemed to
thrive anywhere. These facts made the
question all the harder to solve satisfactorily
Scientists were at sea. No history of such
trouble as "black-spot" is anywhere re-
corded. The disease was new thing to
hortculturists, and the results of Prof.
Pierce's investigations will indeed prove
boon to fruit growers, who for several
months have been in the dark as to what
course was best to pursue.