The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1913-08-28
GOVERNMENT ISSUES
BLIGHT STATEMENT

The Department OF Agriculture mas
received notice by telegraph from elti-
zens in the State of Washington that
certain people are spreading the idea
that the pear blight is not bacterial
disease, and that the Departments
recommendation that pear blight can
be dealt with by cutting out the DIS
eased portions is not an effective
measure.
In the fear that these unscientific
opinions may stop orchardists from
following the highly successful prac-
tical measures recommended by the
federal specialists, and thus lose their
own orchards and spread the disease
among neighboring orchards, the De-
partment has issued the following
special statement:
THAT pear blight is bacterial dis
ease of the pear tree is not open to
question. The scientists have clearly
established the existence Of these bac-
terra by means of microscopic examlna-
tion, and have reproduced the disease
by innoculating fruit and trees with
them. The germ is the Bacillus am
ylovOrus. 1t is an ovalshaped body,
and is llS000 of an inch long and
l-25000 of an inch across, and can be
clearly seen with high power micro
scope. Moreover, the scientists have
raised these bacteria in their labra-
tories and have used them large
number of times in experiments to in
feet healthy trees and fruit. Wher-
ever this bacillus has been introduced
into a healthy tree or fruit the pear
blight has followed. The scientists
also have proved that the pear blight
can be communicated from the bios
SONS of an affected tree to healthy
trees by bees and other insects, and
that the blight that is held over
through the winter can be communi-
Gated to healthy portions of the same
tree or to some other trees by flies or
other insects.
Pear blight differs radically from the
peach yellows in the way it affects a
tree. The peach yellows does not not
show itself outwardly in a tree until
the entire tree is affected and cannot
be saved. The pear blight, on the
other hand, has purely local effect
and attacks certain blossoms, twigs,
branches, or a section of the bark, and
leaves the rest of the tree unlnJured
except where girdhng has occurred.
In thousands of orchards, and in the
case of hundreds of thousands of rear
trees, especially in California and
Oregon, particularly in the Medford
district, it has been proven that by
cutting out the portion of the tree at
fected by the pear blight and washing
the cut with solution of one part OF
corrosive sHblimate ia highly poisonous
substance) to 1000 parts of water,
orchardists can save most of the indlv-
idual trees and prevent the spread OF
the disease throughout their ocrhards.
1t therefore strongly urges orchardsts
in districts affected by pear blight to
continue to cut out affected portions OF
the trees and wash the cuts with this
mixture. In cutting they should wash
their tools in this disinfectant, so that
the tool itself cannot Communicate the
bacteria to healthy parts of the trees.
| Especially orchardists are strongly
advised to go over their orchards very
carefully in the fall and cut out all
cases Of hold over blight, in order to
| prevent tne SpTehu VI lulSCtloho III ui9
eased trees or the communication OF
infection to other trees in the bios
soming period.
In addition to the cutting out and
disinfecting process, the Department
advises orchardists to take st cps tC
keep their tree healthy and strong, buI
not over-vigorous, so as to be highly
resistant to pear blight. 1t warns
orchardists to be careful in the use Of
manures and fertilizers around frui
trees, as anything which increases th'
rate of growth of the tree hastens th'
spread of the localized infection.
The Department has thorough.
tested all known or suggested meas
ures for coping with this blight. |
has found the cutting out and washing
with the solution the one reliable an
practical measure, and recommends
as fully tested and successful remedy
This cutting out method will moi
save all trees, nor is it effective wit
certain varieties of pear trees whic
are particularly subject to the raVage
| of the pear blight. 1t has, however
saved the pear industry of Californl
| and portions of Oregon" "