The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1899-04-27

Treatment Of Fruit Trees Injured Dy
tn. February Freeze.
QUEsTIoN.-To what extent did the
February freeze injure the fruit trees OF
| Georgia, and is there any treatment for
| frozen trees?
ANSWER. = The unprecedented cold
wave that swept over the state last Feb.
ruary greatly injured fruit trees in
/ many sections of the state, and it is
i highly important that such trees should
be properly treated at once, that the
damage may be overcome as much as
| possible.
Peaches, plums and figs have suffered
most, while apples and pears seem to
be very little damaged. OF the peaches.
the Alexanders and Tillotsons are the
| most injured. All of the other varie.
ties are greatly damaged, but to less
| extent.
In great many cases the Satsuma
plum was nearly killed to the ground.
while the Abundance and most of the
other varieties are not so much dam.
aged. The damage seems to be confined
almost entirely to the bearing trees.
Young trees from nursery stock to 2.year
damage. Unfortunately the principal
injury is to the trunk of the trees. The
bast tissues and the cambium layer of
the bark are frozen and blackened from
the surface of the ground up to IL
inches or more. and in few cases the
bark Is loosened from the trees. Us.
| ually, however, there are about 2 or 8
inches of bark ON one side of the tree
that escaped freezing. This green streak
of bark is usually found ON the
south side of the tree. In some sections,
however. it is found on another side.
The twigs aud limbs are apparently not
so badly damaged. The wood just be-
meath the buds Is Drowned, and some of
the twigs killed. In my opinion most
OF these trees may recover and be re-.
stored to fair condition. This, how.
ever, is question. Many will undoubt-
eddy die in the course Of this summer
Trees that were badly weakened from
the San Jose scale, or from the depre-
dations of other insects, or from neglect
or otherwise, in most cases were killed
beyond a doubt and should be dug up at
once. The work of restoration can be
greatly aided by cutting the trees back
severely. Each grower must determine
for himself how much must be cut
away. according to the extent and the
location of the damage. AS rule, at
least one-third of the growth of the
limbs should be cut off. In a few cases
it will be wise to cut the limbs back to
stubbs about "a inches. All badly dam.
aged limbs should be taken out entirely.
This pruning will reduce the surface to
be fed through the roots and will slim.
ulate new growth of healthy wood. II
the tree lives at all, it will regain rap.
idly its vigor and retop iself during the
growing season and be prepared for a
fruit crop next year. In doing this
work smooth, clean cut should be
made with a saw or sharp pruning knife.
The cut surface should be painted over
with white lead to exclude the air and
prevent evaporation. This work should
have been done in March. However,
it is not too late yet, and should be done
at once. Several prominent growers
have already commenced the work.
Prompt action in this work may save
your trees.
Neither should cultivation be neglec-
ted. The trees need the best of atten-
ton now more than ever. Orchards
should be thoroughly cultivated during
the season as though you expected big
crop of fruit. If cultivation is neg.
lected, little hot sun and dry weather
will tell doleful tale.
STATE ENToMoLoGIsT.