The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1901-04-04


We have received the following COM
munication from the Indiana Expert
ment station.
The opinion is quite prevalent among
farmers ana many fruit growers. that
the disease known as Black Knot. SO
often found upon plum and cherry
trees, IS caused by certain insects. Il
is true that we may often 6nd upon
cutting open these knots. the larvae
Of certain insects. but it is a univer-
sally recognized fact among those who
have given the matter careful atten-
ton. that these unsightly. knOtty ex-
ereseenees are due to a special fungus
which IS almost always confined 10 the
plum and sour cherry. The insects are
there, because they find these knots
70 be good breeding places.
The swellings are first noticed in
early spring. often as soon as growth
begins. They are then Of a yellowish
color. but get darker with age. In May
and June, a crop Of spores. which an
sWer 70 seeds IN higher plants. appears
on the surface Of the knots. resem-
bling TO the naked eye a soft downy
covering. This soon disappears. when
the knots continue to get darker until
winter, when they have the eharac-
terlstic black color, which makes them
SO conspicuous at this season Of the
year. II examined carefully late in
the fall, the surface Of the knot will
be found TO be covered with a great
many minute pimples or elevations,
each one OF which Is fruit Of the fun
gus In which the winter spores are
contained. These are in turn distrib-
uted later on, and find lodging place
IN the crotches OF limbs and In the
openings Of the bark. and at the juno
tions Of the annual growths. AS these
spores germinate they send their veg
etative organs into the growing tis-
sues OF the branch, causing swellings.
which often extend along the branches
four or five inches. These vegetative
tissues do not all die during the win
ter, but some live over, and so new
swellings at the edges Of the old ones,
may be seen the following year. In
this way the branch may continue to
be infested until finally It becomes
completely surrounded, when the cir
Is cut on and the branch dies.
When these knots appear upon several
branches at the same time. it Is only
a question Of very short time before
the tree will die.
Treatment: The treatment generally
is to cut of the knots
and burn them. which is a good thing
to do. II it is done before the winter
spores have been distributed. II not,
lhen some additional treatment viii
be necessary. It Is recommended there
lore, that all knots" be cut of and
burned during the month february |
md In addition to this. spray the trees
With a strong solution Of Bordeaux /
mixture during the FIRST warm days OF /
pring. About the time that buds start.
pray again with the ordinary strength /
Bordeaux mixture. This ought to de- \
troy all Of the winter spores. Then
n case the branches may have been
iready infected the previous year,
hey should be sprayed again during
he latter part of May and the first
4 June. The young knots may be
estroyed by painting them with chlo-
o-naphtholeum or with pure kerosene
II. Whenever these remedies are
thoroughly applied. there viii be no
rouble in controlling the disease, pro-
iding all old, worthless trees have
cen cut out and burned and provid-
ng also that the people Of tie entire
eighborh0Od cooperate in this plan
Z action. Wherever the Damson plum
J grown this disease Is almost sure to
e present; and as 1t is one OF the
injurious plant diseases" referred to
q the Indiana inspection law, the
for prompt action on the part
I all owners Of infested trees, viii be
yident to ALL J. Troop. Hortieul-
lrist