The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-08-22
PEAR BLIGHT DANGER
IS GREAT
INSPECTOR DEAN URGES Or
CHARD MEN TO ORGANIZE
AGAINST TREE DISEASE.
To The MisSogIlian

and the apple scab. can be controlled
by the proper use If the spray pump.
If not entirely eradicated, but tho
dreaded disease. pear blight. which
has appeared i'm several sections Of
the state, cannot he as enroGragIngiy
spoken of The history Of the work
ings Of the disease is serious.
In som" al the renowned pear pro-
ducing valleys OF California. the in
du&try was totally ruined In "a few
years, Nearly every tree in the San
Joaquin valley was Killed in that
short period In some parts nf Col
GRADE, the Hyslop and Transcendent
crab apples were largely grown at one
time, but TN" blight practically drove
them from the state.
The pear blight. twig blight OF
fire blight. as it is sometimes called.
~ probably the most destructive di-
sease that the apple, pear. ounce. or
allied fruits are heir to. In fact 1t
attacks nearly all pomaceous fruits,
The blight in caused by germ or
bacterium mot an insect or fungusl
that attacks the bark principally. of
the rome fruits. The poison gains
shoots or through wounds. II IN spread
or carried from tree tn tree or from
one twig to another hy bees. ants
and other insects, as we'll AZ by birds
This makes IL dangerous contag-
inus disease. and like the peach yell
lows and little peach it has baffled the
attempts of our scientific investiga-
tors i'm trying to find remedy. II
Ix
almost dormant in an orchard for n
time, but when conditions are favor
able II works very rapidly, having
been known to work down a twig
from the point Of attack, a foot in
one day. although from one 10 two
or three inches Ia the usual rate,
In the spring ii first attacks anS
destroys the blossoms and new twie
growth. working down the limbs and
into the trunk Of the tree. The dis
ease proper does not necessarily kill
the leaves but after the twig and
stems are killed the leaves must die.
or rather dry un and turn that red
dish brown or block color that marks
the disease. The foliage nf the at
tackled twigs will usually remain on
the trees after all healthy ones have
fallen.
II liz rather an easy matter to follow
the workings Of the disease on the
limbs While il IN still working the
color Of the blighted portion grad
ualIv blends off into the normal color
of the healthy twig, but when II
stops there IL usually AN abrupt sunk
en- appearance around the twig. OFTEN
at this point gummy sap o"2es
out. which is teeming with bacteria
and insects and birds. nv eating or
. coming in contact with 1t. can carry
the disease on their bills or feet
1t IN also found on the fruit and
sometimes gathers in sufficient guam
titles tn fall in drnns. thereby in
oculatlng any twig that IL strikes.
Treatment.
First-To the prospective orchardist.
Select resistant varieties OF pears and
apples.
Secondly-To orrhardists that have
varieties which are susceptible, Graft
or top work Ia resistant varieties.
Avoid excessive winter pruning or any
method Of culture that stimulates AN
excess Of water sprouts or rapid soft
growth.
Do not in any wav fertilize the
soil in the orchard to stimulate rap
Id growth.
Cultivation should In done by
system that promotes IA normal strong,
hardy grnwth,
The best cultivated trees Or or
eharas are more inclined IL blight
than where the growth has been
checked.
As the ma iafitS ri orchards in Mon
tana are irrigated. the grower has
AN opportunity tn check and shorten
the growth. 10y turning off the water
and using only enough la keep the tree
alive for year or tw0. This should
he done in badly attacked orchards.
To extcrminate the blight Il the sert-
Gus problem. Any system that will
exterminate every microhe. in and
about the orchard will be success
The methods nf control at present
are Ia constantly watch every tree in
a blighted orchard. removing the dis
aased parts at once and burning
them
Great rseeautgon should he taken In
removing the diseased limbs. II the
saw. knife ar pruning sh""rs are used.
the cut should he made well below
the marking of the disease and the
operator should always have strong
df~lnfcrtant solution with him and rub
thu tools thoroughly after each cut
Al thu. drug stores. for - cents. bot
ties If corrosive. suhEmate tablets can
l., secured six OF these dissolved It'll
one riut If wafer and placed IN Il
large mnuthed hottie. in which %on
carry a Swuh il very convenient and