The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1907-07-15

was mduS ny 1uIueF DuIDdlh, vi
Santa Rosa, California. The Logan
berry is said to be an accidental cross
between the same berries. 1t was
found in the garden of DR.. Logan,
hence it's name. The two berries re-
semble each other but the Phenomenal
is the larger of the two and is pre-
ferred by growers who have carefully
compared them. Mr.. Littooy is one
who has made this investigation and
has given his preference in favor of
the Phenomenal.
Y
A. Mr.. Hallenbeck, whose address
| is not at hand, as | write, recently
sent me some twigs and large fly
which had punctured the twigs, and
wanted to know what the insect is
and what is the remedy for its raw
ages. While | know something of in
sects, as every man must who is a
practical horticulturist, l am not an
entomologist. But I have found Prof
A. L. Melander, the entomologist of
our state college at Pullman, to be a
very competent man in his depart
ment and withal very courteous and
obliging gentleman and very willing
| to help me in the hard places. So |
| forwarded the inquiry to him, send
ing also the twigs and the fly. The
| following is his very clear and in
structive answer: "My Dear Mr.. Wal
den: l have received the specimens
you sent. The insect is known as a
| Cicada. It's technical name is Platy-
pedia Putnam In some districts in
Washington it is abundant enough to
cause injury to orchards, although
generally Cicadas are not very numer-
ous The injury is caused by the fe-
male insect ripping the Sits in the
twigs while she is laying her eggs.
These twigs die and are apt to break
off. When the eggs hatch the young
Cicadas drop to the ground, where
they feed for a year or two on the
roots of vegetation. The notorious
seventeen-year locust of the eastern
states is a close relative of the Platy-
pedia AS to the remedy for the pest
it would be rather difficult to pres
cribe. When the insects are first
noticed, and if they have laid their
eggs, it might be possible to repress
them by cutting the twigs containing
the eggs. This, of course, would re-
lieve the brood of the second year
following. but for immediate benefit
would have but little worth. The in
sects can be collected early in the
morning very easily because they are
sluggish with cold"
Mr.. J. G. Christensen, Green Lake,
Wash, asks this question:: Would
you please give in The Ranch, some
information as to what to do to keep
cherry trees from dying. There is a
gum that oozes out and invariably the
part above that, if it is not real large,
will wither away Sometimes it is a
branch at a time; at other timees it
is the whole tree. Hope that we may
see something soon that will help us
to effect a cure"
+
The disease referred to is known
as Gummosis and I am sorry to in.
form Mr.. Christensen that no cure is
known for it. But it is worth some
thing to remember the old adage, can
ounce of prevention is worth more
than a pound of cure" There is no
absolute prevention but some things
can be done that will greatly lessen
the ravages of gummosis. 1t will
often be found that the gum oozes
out where the tree has been bruised
Heavy pruning may have the same
effect. AS a rule | would not prune
cherry tree at all after it has been
set out two or three years and only
enough before that time to shape the
tree properly. 1t will usually be
found that gummosis is the worst on
trees where the ground is very rich
and where high state of cultivation
is practised. Don't manure your cherry
trees, and if the ground is already