Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1910-04-13
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Fire Blight or Peur Blight.


ria (small germs), 1t affects pears,
apples, ounces and many other pome
fruits. A tree affected by blight has
the appearance Of having been burn
ed, hence the name "tire blight" The
blight affects blossoms, twigs, foli-
age, sprouts, suckers, limbs and
fruits.
Blossom TwiG Blight.
The first marked appearance of
light Is during and soon after bios
soming time. 1t Is brought to the
tree by insects seeking nectar, trans
ferred by them from blossom to bios
som and from tree to tree. Warm,
most conditions are most favorable to
it's development. The effect Is that
the foliage and flowers turn brown
and the disease continues down the
twig. Often the injury Of blight
is mistaken for that Of frost, as the
damage in each instance looks very
much alike.
AS soon as discovered the affected
portion, and even six to eight in
ches below, should be cut off, After
each cut the knife or saw should be
disinfected.
Disinfcctants-A bottle Of murcu-
ric chloride or corrosive sublimate
tablets can be purchased at any drug
store. Dissolve one tablet in a pint
OF water, and sponge saturated with
this solution and rubbed over the
knife Will disinfect 1t. Again, 1t is
we'll to rub the sponge over the cut
surface for fear that your knife was
not thoroughly disinfccted at the
time the cut was made. A five per
cent solution Of carbolic acid Is ano-
ther good disinfectant.
BE sure and burn all affected parts
which have been cut Off, and be care
full with the disinfectants after you
have finished with them, as they are
poisonous.
Limb Blight.
The bacteria causing this disease
affects the cambum layer and inner
bark. The bark becomes brown and
sunken, and thus 1t Is fairly easy to
determine the affected area, especial
ly so If the activity of the germs has
ceased. The bacteria winter in cank-
ers on the limbs. During the fall and
winter these cankers are more easily
detected and should be cut off below
the affected part. This you see in
case Of large limbs you lose good
part of your tree. The cankers, how
ever, should be removed as soon as
detected, as they are apparently the
main source Of new infection.
Preventing Blight.
Soft, succulent growth Is more sus-
ceptible to blight; therefore any
thing that tends to prevent this
growth will also tend to prevent
blight.
AS pears are borne on spurs which
are very apt to be blighted, the spurs
should be removed from the trunk
tho main limbs Of entire tree. Sprouts
Will get into the main portions Of the
tree, which would mean the loss Of
the mai nlimbs of entire tree. Sprouts
or other soft growth should be kept
off the main limbs and trunk. Where
a pear tree is properly trained the
first few years, heavy pruning will
not be necessary during the older
age Heavy pruning Of old trees dur
ing winter stimulates soft growth,
which is favorable to blight.
Cultiyating and FcItilizing.-Cul-
tiVating and fertilizing with nitro
genous fertilizers after trees have
come into bearing produce conditions
favorable to blight; therefore, sod
ding and Withholding nitrogen ferti-
lizers Is to be recommended as a
preventive measure from a farm or
chard standpoint.
Well Drained SOii.-Plant on well
rolling soil is not necessarily we'll
rolling sol is not necessarily we'll
drained
/. Cut off and burn all affected
parts.
2. Watch carefully for cankers on
your trees, and when detected de-
stroy them.
3. Cankers cause the bark to be-
come sunken and turn brown.
4. Prevent soft, succulent growth.
5. Prune SO as to form a good
frame on your tree and keep spurs,
sprouts, etc, off the main limbs and
trunk.
6. DO not cultivate and fertilize