Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-06-10

rector Charles D. Woods Of the Maine
Agricultural Experiment station:
On account Of the somewhat abnor-
NAL weather conditions which pre-
vailed during a considerable part Of
the past winter, the plant pathologist
Of the Maine Agricultural Experiment
Station was at that time apprehensive
of winter injury to apple trees. Re-
cent events would indicate that these
fears were not entirely groundless.
Contrary to a somewhat prevalent
notion. winter injury is fully as likely
to take place in mild winter as in
a severe one. Unseasonably mild,
thawing weather causing the sap to
start, particularly if followed rather
suddenly by the normal low temper
atures for the time OF year. frequently
results in much greater damage than
that which comes from excessively low
temperatures Periods Of weather of
the first class were quite frequent dur
Ing the past winter in Maine. Also
over a good part Of the orchard belt
lightly covered with snow throughout
the winter months. This condition OF
affairs undoubtedly led to considerable
root injury, particularly in the heavier
and more poorly drained Soils
Some evidence of winter injury las
begun to appear this spring. although
it is yet too early to state definitely
how general and widespread it is. AT
Highmoor Farm a few Of a lot Of
young Baldwin trees set last Year In
we'll drained soil are apparently dead
this spring. These trees were very
thrifty and free from disease last
season. Also a certain amount of WIN
ter killing took place in the case of
trees grown in the nursery. While it
is too early to state conclusively it is
thought that some of the older Bald
win trees have suffered somewhat. No
evidence of winter injury has as yet
been observed on the Ben Davis trees
on this farm. Specimens showing the
same trouble are also coming to the
Station from other sources.
While the characteristics Of winter
injury are more or less varied they
are sufficiently well marked so that
the average observer should be able to
recognize them as they occur In this
State. The history of the case is a
very important factor in determining
the cause. In Maine if tree or a
lot Of trees are rea sonably free from
borers. canker and other similar in
sect and fungous troubles. if they ap-
pear fairly vigorous and healthy one
ch ri ad ciCnS
of disease and death early the follow
ing summer, the evidence is presump-
tive that the weather conditions of
the previous winter are intimately as
ISOLATED with the cause of the trouble.
There is only one parasitic disease of
the apple-tire blight-which works so
rapidly that its effects might be and
have been at times confused with Win
ter injury. AS far as known typical
cases of fire blight of the apple re-
sulting in a large amount of injury
to trees in a single season. such as
occur in the other states farther west,
have never been found in Maine.
In the case of young trees showing
winter injury the whole plant may be
dead in the spring and put forth no
-
manifestation of the injury with older
trees. and one which is often confus-
ing to an observer unfamiliar with it.
is the apparent onset of the trouble
after growth has started in the spring.
In such cases the leaves surrounding
the fruit bud clusters open and start
to grow as usual and the flowers ap-
parently open normally. AS a rule the
leaves do not grow as rapidly on the
injured parts as those on unaffected
branches. About the time the petals
begin to fall. or sometimes a little
after, the most severely affected twigs
or small branches wither rapidly and
die In the winter of 1867 many large
trees of the more susceptible varieties
Of apples were killed outright. AS a
general thing injury to the larger
branches and trunks is usually con-
fined to the killing of definite areas
Of bark. Frequently these are located
on those parts of the tree which are
most exposed to the afternoon sun OF
winter The tissues become thawed
out, cool rapidly as night comes on
and injury results. A similar injury
has been produced by pouring warm
water-not hot enough to cause injury
OF itself alone-on the bark of an apple
tree trunk on cold day in winter.
The injured bark on the trunk and
larger limbs early begins to dry out,
sinks away and later shows a fairly
definite to a marked line, or some
times a crack along its boundary.
When cut into it will show a browning,
varying in intensity with the time
which has elapsed since the injury oc-
cured. Later in the season it dried out
entirely and becomes hard. Usually
where large areas of bark are affected
there is evidence of the invasion and
growth Of saprophytic fungi during
the summer following the occurrence
Of the injury.
A very marked and apparently abb
normal form Of bark injury was a
characteristic of the trouble in GER
tain localities in 1867. This was
what was known as crotch injury"
In certain orchards the bark in nearly
every large crotch would be entirely
killed. making wounds which were
very difficult to treat. There is some
evidence for believing that this same
form Of injury has occurred to a much
less extent during certain other win