Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1910-05-06
Cherry Gumosis.

Aside from late spring frosts
cherry gumoss is probably the most
serious problem that the cherry
| grower has to contend with. The fact
that it is neither an insect nor
plant disease enemy makes spraying
useless under any consideration after
a good case of gumosis has developed.
1t is a condition of the tree re-
| sulting from some unfavorable en-
vironmental condition or conditions
| either natural or artificial. When
| these conditions are the result of an
| error in cultivation, irrigation, prun-
ing, etc, it is frequently possible
to correct the evil and relieve the
tree of further trouble, but where it
| is due to some natural cause over
which man has no control perman-
ent care is usually impossible al
though the life and usefulness of
the tree may be prolonged
The first indication of gumosis is
| the thickening and tOughening of
the usually thin elastic outer bark of
| the large limbs and trunk, later the
| oozing out of the sap of the tree
| through bark crack and injuries.
| which harden in patches on the bark
or forms large chunks in the cracks
and on the branches. AS time passes
on these chunks increase in size, fun
| gi, producing canker and borers find
ready entrance to the wood and
sooner or later the tree becomes
| girdled, unfruitful and dies, fire.
quently requiring three to five years
to destroy an apparently healthy
tree.
The primary cause of gumosis is
usually difficult to determine in most
cases since it is frequently concealed
by other difficulties, however, any
of the following causes may or may
not cause gumosis.
| /. Poor soil drainage or too wet
land.
2. Strong late fall growth, follow
ed by fall or winter injury
3. Late summer tillage.
4. Root injury caused by crown
gall, too deep cultivation or winter
freezing
5. Repeated injuries from the
single tree or cultiyator handle
6. A severe attact of aphis, borers
or slugs.
7. Too heavy spring pruning of
the bearing trees.
| s. A hard late spring frost that
| kills leaves, blossoms, etc.
8. A severe check of growth caus-
ed by over irrigation, under irri-
cation or any natural cause.
10. Poor shallow soil underlaid
with hard pan or rock.
| Il. Too much alkali barnyard
manure or commercial fertilizers.
In the treating of gumosed trees
the essential thing is to, if possible,
remove the difficulty If the bark is
dry and tough, it should be soften
ed by a good coat of whitewash or
a thorough scrubbing with stiff
brush and strong soap suds. 1t is
some times advantageous to slit the
outer bark on two or three sides
of the trunk or large limbs with the
point of penknife. This should be
done during June and not deep
enough to injure the inner bark or
the cure will be worse than the di-
sease.
If the gum has already started to
ooZe out and harden, cut away all
patches at the same time removing
Ian dead, injured or diseased bark,
cleanse with strong bordeaux mix
ture and when dry, coat over with
orange shellac or lead paint A large
percentage of trees can be cured in
this way and lives of all greatly
heightened even though not cured. A
thorough draining of wet soil, pro-
} per handling of most soils and care
in pruning of effected trees will usu-
ally help them.
w. S. Thornber, Department of
Horticulture, Pullman, Wash.