The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1908-08-01
SUGGESTS TREATMENT
p<F esoit Trees which Ass Afsss,sd In This
viot,asy


ah1Ut all OF the fruk Trees in this
f4Rity have shown an affection which
lairfs the leaves brown aud kills the
fvk'F and in some instances the tree.
Wrn. II Morrison has some fine trees
and in an effort TO learn the cause or
the affection he wrote Mr.. Geismar at
the experiment station. He received y
reply early in the week which we pub
lish In full for the information OF our
readers who have trees affected It is
as follows:
Chatham. Mich.
July "a. 1908.
w. II. Morrison,
Crystal Falls. Mich,
You have q case OF true blight all
right enough. and 1t would do no good
10 spray at this time The only treat
ment at this time OF the year Is to
check the disease and keep IL from
spreading next year. Each twig should
he cut of i've or six inches below the
lowest brown leaf. and little white
lead put over the cnt The knife must
be disinfected every time twig is cnt
off. Every affected twig should be
burned mp as soon as possible and none
should be left on the ground In the
orchard not even burying 1t. for the
Goubie Is due to backeria which can
not be destroyed except by means OF q
very high temperature. The disinfect-
ing.pf the knife can be done with the
least trouble by getting a two or four
ounce bottle. let the druggist put In an
amount OF carbolic acid equal to one
tenth Of the contents OF the bottle,
then mi the bottle with water and
shake. Saturate strip Of woolen cloth
with this solution. pin this strip on
your coat, and when ready 10 cut of a
twig. wipe both sides of the knife
blade with the moistened strip OF cloth.
Very respectfully yours.
Leo M. Geismar.
Since Mr.. Morrison received the
above letter The Diamond Drill has
been in receipt OF the following very
full and carefully prepared letter from
Mr.. Geismar.
Chatham, Mich. July 20, 1908.
True blight. or fire blight has made
it's appearance In the neighborhood Of
Crystal Falls, and Is liable to break
out elsewhere. Affected twigs which l
have carefully examined show that the
damage win be slight this year but 1t
should be remembered that II nothing
lie done to STOP the progress OF the dis
ease. whole trees and entire orchards
are apt to be destroyed next year
should the disease break out earlier In
the season and the weather conditions
be favorable for its spreading. Twigs
with curled. stunted and partly dried
leaves have been sent from other parts
OF the upper peninsula. The condition
of these is due to various causes. but
not TO fire blight. and the trees affect
ed by IL will soon recover IL properly
cultivated.
In case OF fire blight the leaves re-
tain their normal shape and position.
and the green color at the surface rap
idly turns intola uniform bright chest
nut brown. while the lower surface
and the leaf stems assume greyish
color. In most cases the disease begins
at the tips OF the twigs and works
downward. Being due TO bacteria
which multiplies at an amazingly
rapid rate between the bark and the
caanbium layer, there is no way TO
check the disease except by cutting off
the affected twigs and burning them
up at once The emitting should be
done five oRsix inches below the lowest
leaf that shows to be affected and white
lead at once applied 10 the cut No
twig or limb should be cut OIL unless
the knife has first been disinfected IN
ten per cent solution OF carbolic
acid. This can be done with the least
trouble by pinning on the out side
garment piece of wooden cloth which
has been saturated with the carbolic
acid solution and passing the sides or
the knife blade over the moistened
cloth EVERY TIME a twig is cut off.
Fire blight appears at irregular per
iods wherever apple OF pear trees are
growing II occnred five years ago IN
few upper peninsula localities aud
while no serious damage has resulted
from II within the past ifteen years
IL ~ well not TO depend upon contin-
nous mild attacks and 10 prevent ita
spreading by destroying the affected
twlgs.
When In donbt. send q couple ot
twigs about six inches long by mail,
by wrapping them IN paper and ad.
dressing 10