The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1912-11-07
HORTICULTURAL
Crown Rot
(By Prof. W. H. Lawrence, county
plant pathologist.)

(By Prof. W. H. Lawrence, COUNT
plant pathologist.)
Crown rot of the apple tree is caused
by a toadstool. This toadstool is one
/ of the many fungi that give the farmer
much concern. The structure anC
growth made by this toadstool should
be thoroughly understood, since q
thorough knowledge is necessary in
case one attempts to combat it and is
successful. The so-called vegetative
part of the tOadstool and the part that
corresponds to the roots, stems and
leaves of a tree for example, consists
of minute but invisible threads which
live in the soil or in vegetable matter,
either dead or living. These threads
may be simple or branched and when
abundant in the soil. Iform strands of
almost countless numbers which are
enclosed in a special covering of black
color. When occurring in this form
these bodies are known as the shoe
string fungus. These shoestring-like
strands attach themselves to all sorts
of vegetable matter in the soil. among
which are the roots of the apple tree.
When the strings become attached
to the tree they usually grow and
finally develop the fruit as We. know it
the toadstool.
If the strands are allowed to remain
in contact with the roots they will
gradually work their way through the
bark. Soil conditions have a very de-
cided influence on the activity of the
threads, the more compact types being
the more favorable. Should the.bark
of the roots be injured in any manner
so that Fthe shoestrings may reach the
unprotected wood, the fungus becomes
a parasite, growing into the wood and
attacking and destroying the more
tender part between the bark and the
wood. The entrance of the fungus into
the tree is characterized by the pres
ence of cankers which most commonly
are located at the crown and on the
main roots where they diverge from
the crown. Unless special search for
infested tree is made it commonly hap
pens that 5y the time the top of the
| tree shows that something is wrong
with the root the tree is so badly in
Jured that it Is only case of time un-
til the tree dies.
AT this time of the year the toad
stools are forming The location of
these toadstOols usually reveal the To-
cation Of all infested materials both
decaylng and living. One should 90
over every portion of the orchard and
note II there are one or more brown
mushrooms attached to the crown of
the ,tree. 1t is a good plan to do this
Il work at least twice during the next
hive weeks. BE sure to mark every
tree and the location in the orchard
away from the trees where mushrooms
7 put IN their appearance. After the
trees have been marked every mugh.
4 room should be collected and burned
Ior several reasons, principal among
H winch is that they are the fruitinp
II bodies OF the shoestrings and prvoduce
II the seed like bodies lspores) that start
II the fungus growing in new locations
Il m the orchard. After the mushroom,
II nave been removed the dirt should he
Il aug from the crown and large roots OF
III these trees and the bark examined II
II see II there are any cauker in the
II bark. In case of cankers cut out al
dead portions of the bark. leave IN,
wood exposed for a few days. and tber
coat the wood with thick Bordean,
Il mixture. The dirt should not he nIacsC
II IN contact with the wood for at least ,
Il year a burlap sack, loosely wounr
= around the injured part will be sufii
III clent winter protection. Trees tba.
Il nave been entirely girdled should l.,
III orldge-grafted the following snr;ro
Il Care should be taken to pru6e tbr t5s, s
II SO as 10 remove as large a norton y.
Il necessary not to overtax the vitalit,
II OF the tree until the flow of water orss ~
II the movement Of plant food tbroncbor, @,,'
II the tree becomes normal iIosnOG Tbassa !
II good proof that a mixture of OIL
Il stacked lime and dry sulphur "A bv voi Sli
H ume Of each) placed aro1n5 tq' ,5.
II crowns Of trees on which sboestr;rn' ,,'
i'll are attached, will kill the sboestr;u bs,,;us < <
Ill and Will not injure the tree TS,
II ABOVE mixture should be placed m tb' N,
LII exposed crown and bases Of the 't iarn' Sn'
Il roots and then covered with soil ''' q