The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1914-01-16
HOLD-OVER BLIGHT

| Ahs " tiicHI willie lue rest OI the
tree is bare A blight canker may
be noticed in winter as in summer
by the sunken dark appearance of
the bark. If any doubt exists as to
whether the discolored area on your
tree is caused by blight, cut into the
bark and if it has water-soaked,
brownish- ed color instead of the
green healthy color, you have good
indication of blight. Look for small
| blight cankers on branchrs of trees
caused by the blight running from
fruit spurs or blossoms. A blighted
fruit spur may produce dark Cir
cular spot an inch or two in diam
eter. These small cankers should
be cut out. The prevalence of hold
over blight in these have been un-
derestimated. At least 20% of the
small limbs and twigs contain viru-
lent blight organisms at the time of
! poisoning. The only 7Uay to Aeate
these smaHcankers is BY the use o. orrhara
ladders A blight canker on the
trunk has dark color and is some
what sunken and cracked. The
symptoms are much the same as
what is known as sunburn or sun
scald. At the termination of the
growing season usually the active
progress of the disease beco les
checked. Dark discolored areas
with sharp lines of demarcation indi-
cate the limit of the disease, but if
the line of demarcation does not
show and the discolored area grad
ually blends into the green healthy
tissues of limb, it is an indication
that the blight is still in an active
stage. One canker becoming active
in the warm spring weather exudes
the sweetish milky-white ooze which
is composed of millions of blight
bodies. The bee and other insects
are naturally attracted to this exu-
date because of its sweetness, be-
come covered with blight organisms
and fly to the blossoms and inocu-
late them.
The following are few of the
most important points to remember
when trying to eradicate fire blight:
| /. Prune for blight first before
doing the regular winter pruning.
| 9. Be sure all blight is cut be-
fore spraying.
i 5. Always cut well below the
last visible point of infection or dis
celebration.
4. Remember that the bacteria
are always further along than the
discoloration.
| 5. Always use Corrosive-Subli-
mate (Bichloride Of Mercury to
1000 for disinfecting and keep it in
glass. This strength is not injurious
to the hands. Buy the colored tab
| lets. If the disinfectant becomes
discolored (blackened from disin-
fecting the tools) throw it out and
make a new solution.
It should be made regular prac-
tice to disinfect the tools after each
cut. A sponge makes the best swab.
7. Ne1vr fail to disinfect the
wound made in cutting out blight.
8. After the orchard has been
gone over once, then every tree
should be inspected, using a ladder.
One or two cases left may ruin the
whole campaign by starting the
blight in the blossoms next spring
3. By using a I inch bevel gouge,
hold-over blight can be located in
the trunks of trees by gouging ont a
bit of the bark. Be sure to disin-
| feet the tool after each cut.
10. Burn all blight cuttings be-
| fore the blossoming period.
A grower who leaves blight in his
orchard knowingly or on account Of
careless inspection may be response
BILE for a serious outbreak the next
season. Write to the undersigned
for bulletins on blight.
LUKE POWELL,
Hort. Inspector, Dist. No. 6
cccn n0Du