The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1910-04-13
Net Door to StaElk'5 ADJ
CLEMSON EXTENSION WORK.
Fire Blight or Pear Blight.

Fire blight or pear blight is q contagious
disease caused by bacteria small germs(.
1t affects pears, apples, ounces, and many
other pome fruits. A tree affected by
blight has the appearance Of having been
burned, hence the name fire blight:
The blight affects blossom twigS, foliage
twigs, sprouts, suckers, limbs ond fruits
BLOSSOM WIG BLIGHT.
The first marked appearance OF blight
is during and soon after poisoning time.
1t is brought to the tree byinsects seeking
nectar, transferred by them from blossom
to blossom ann from tree to tree. Warm,
moist conditions are most favorable to its
development. The effect is that the foliage
and flowers to turn brown and the disease
continues down the twig. Often the inju-
ry Of blight is mistaken for that Of frost,
as the damage in each instance looks very
much alike.
AS soon as discovered the a~ffecteu por-
should be cut off, After each cut the
knife or saw should be disinfected. Dis
infectants-A bottle of mercuric chloride
or corrosive sublimate tablets can be
purchased at any drug store Dissolve
one tablet in a pint Of water and a sponge
saturated with this solution rubbed over
the knife will disinfect it. Again it is we'll
to rub the sponge over the cut surface for
fear that your knife was thoroughly at the
time the cut was made. A five per cent,
ISOLATION Of carbollc acid Is another good
disinfectant.
Be sure and burn all affected parts
which have been cut off and be careful with
the disinfectants after you have finished
with them, as they are poisonous.
LIMB BLIGHT.
The bacteria causing this disease affects
the cambium layer and inner bark. The
bark becomes brown and sunken and
thus it is fairly easy to determine the af-
fected area, especially so If the activity
Of the germs has ceased. The bacteria
| winter in cankers on the limbs. During
the fall and winter these cankers are
more easily detected and should be cut
off below the affected part. Thus you see
in case OF large limbs you lose a good
part Of your tree. The cankers, however,
should be removed as soon as detected, as
they are apparently the main source Of
new infection.
PREVENTING BLIGHT.
Soft, s~ucculent growth is more s~uscepti-
BILE to blight, therefore anything that
prevent blight.
AS pears are borne on spurs which are
very apt to be blighted, the spurs should
be removed from the trunk and main
limbs for fear the blight will get into
the main portions Of the tree which
mean the loss Of the main limbs or entire
tree. Sprouts or other soft growth
should be kept off the main limbs and
trunk. Where a pear tree is properly
ing will not be necessary during its old
er age. Heavy pruning Of old trees dur
ing winter stimulates soft growth which
is favorable to blight.
Cultivating and fertilizing-Cultivating
and fertilizing with heterogeneous fertilizers
after trees have come into bearing produce
conditions favorable to blight, therefore,
liZers is to be recommended as q preven-
tive measure.
Well drained soil.-Plant on we'll drained
soil, but remember that all rolling soil is
not necessarily well drained.
SUMMARY.
1. Cut off and burn all affected parts.
2. Watch carefully for cankers on your
trees and when detected destroy them.
8. Cankers cause the bark to become
sunken and turn brown.
4. Prevent soft, succulent growth.
S. Prune so as to form q good frame on
your tree and keep spurs, sprouts, etc.,
off the main limbs and trunk.
6. DO not cultivate and f~ertilize bearing
( trees excessively.
Z. Select resistant varieties.
8. Plant in we'll drained soil.
9. There is no other generally known
remedy for blight than the above.
10. Get your n%eighbors to do likewise.
D. C. Mooring,
Assistant Prof. Of Hort,
Clemson College, S.. G..