The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1904-04-09

ease; Waite proved to us beyond dis
pute that insects, especially bees, are
the main instruments in their dis
semlnation. They are attracted by
the viscid sap, suck up part or all OF
the drop, and then carry thousands
of these germs with them to innocu-
late flowers, shoots, or wounded
places in the bark. Undoubtedly
heavy currents Of wind assist IN
spreading the disease and probably
account for the commonness Of ''twig
blight" The question comes right
here Shall keep bees If | have an
orchard? Certainly, and for two
reasons. First, the honey, and the
revenue derived from it, are often no
small object to the farmer. Second,
the bees are absolutely needed to
assist in proper cross-tertilization or
pollination Of the flowers. This
/ leads us to the subject Of remedies,
for preventives-there are none.
As soon as the bacteria are carried
to young flower or wound, they effect
entrance, and living upon the sap
and starch, multiply rapidly. II
they gain entrance along limb or
trunk, they live in the inner bark
and combium layer, that layer |
which adds yearly to the growth OF
| both bark and wood.
1t can readily be seen from this
that they are we'll covered, and con
sequently spraying does no good.
The only remedy thus far found has
been and is the careful and continuous
use of saw and pruning knife. All
diseased shoots and limbs should be
cut of at from inches to one foot
below the place Of evident Infection
or injury, as the bacteria have always
, gone down deeper into the limb thar
seems to be the case from the outside.
, Many primers have the habit OF split
, ting down the bark to see how far the
disease has proceeded, but this
practice is to be condemned, as they
never can see how far the disease has
proceeded, and the incision Of the
knife may carry the bacteria from
diseased to healthy tissues. II the
T. blight Is bad in either the pear, or
, apple orchard, the knife or saw should
be sterilized each time it is used, by
either passing it throug a flame, or
> dipping it into weak carbolic acid
water, Oh into kerosene. The pruued
limbs or fragments should be collect
ed and burned and both pruning aud
:. burning should be done mainly In the
dormant season, before the sap has
|, started, the bacteria have awakened,
- and the bees are visiting the orchard
= This is the best time for pruning and
burning, but not the only one; II
should DO done whenever the disease
makes its appearance. All large
wounds should be painted over with
paint as soon as the tree is trimmed,
=, to prevent the re-iunoculation through
the exposed tissues. Where tn,
blight is bad, even young shoots o
water sprouts should have their Gu
bases painted, for it has been shown
time and again that the limbs an,
even trunks have been innOculate'
through these cut stubs.
The pear Is much more easil,
=, pruned for this disease than Is ID
apple On the former tt omm1ul,
manigests itself in dead or dyiuI
:. shoots, limbs or trunks, which cal
readily BE- cut away below the pro
:. gress Of the disease On the apple
:. however, it Is commonly the shoot
all over the tree, and especially th
:. fruit spurs and their cluster O
-. flowers, which are most affected
=. Pruning here becomes a much NOR
. difficult and even serious undertak
- ing. Where only a few shoots am
-. fruit spurs are affected these can b.
- cut away close to the tree, and tn
- wound Immediately covered will
- paint. Where, however, almost al
- Of the fruit spurs on the whole tire
have died, the best way il to cut OF
ho entire and large limbs, cover tn
n wounds with paint, and stimulate tn
production Of new shoots aud sub
-eluent fruit spurs Many such tree
" are to be found in and around Boise
y New Plymouth, aud many othe
" places In the former place m.
~ attention was called by Inspecto
/ Mcpherson to very interesting
= though sad evidence Of the efiicac,
w Of bees in spreading the disease.
, All the splendid large apple tree
" near the hives were without exception
- seriously injured by blight, while a
We proceeded on radii from the hive
the blight grew less and loss, auc
almost disappeared on the edge Of tn
" orchard fafths4t from the hives
It has been often noticed tba
or rapidly growing trees are more sub
or jet to blight than slower growers