The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-12-02

consists Of the outer layers of bark
which have died naturally Fruit
trees. like other trees, keep their
bark smooth while young and vigor-
ours. AS they get older the outer
layers begin to die, being replaced by
vigorous young bark underneath.
This process starts mainly at the
base of the tree and works upward,
the Oldest bark dying first 1t also
begins in spots on the branches. es-
pecially at the bases Of fruit spurs
or small twigs, and finally covers
all the other branches Of the tree.
1t is natural to the tree and needs
no attention except to distinguish It
from the true blighted areas.
In working out bad cases Of blight
particularly on the collars, bodies, or
larger branches where there is con-
siderable live blight in the thick
'fleshy bark, 1t Is, a good plan, after
doing the work thoroughly, to mark
such a case by tying strip Of cot
ton cloth around the body or branch
to distinguish 1T from the non-yirul-
ient cases, than three or four days to
a week later with a gouge or sharp
knife retrim the markins to make
sure that you worked beyond the
blight at all points. The bark will
ldiscolor naturally, SO that this blight
can not be detected without retrim-
ming. II any of the blight were left
1t is thus given an opportunity to
discolor further the bark and show
itself. This works better in warm
weather than in cold weather.
Having cleaned up the blight
thoroughly in the fall, when dealing
with bad outbreaks it is a good plan
to go over the orchard tree by tree
and inspect in early spring when the
buds are swelling, but well ahead
of the blossoming period, to make
sure that no cases escaped. A bit
OF gummy exudate will, Of course,
Immediately lead to examination with
a knife and gouge. Carry the kit
Of tools and sdisinfect and be pre-
pared for further work on such
cases. Occasionally a suspicious
looking case may be partially or COM
pletely retrimmed as above sug-
gested.
Painting Wounds.
In the autumn, after the wounds
or eradication scars are made, dis
infected, and perhaps reinspected
when deemed necessary, the exposed
area Of wood, especially IL one inch
or more in diameter, should be paint
ed for protection, as In case Of prun-
ing and other wounds Since many
of these areas may be large, 1t Is
important to. give this wound treat
ment. Various materials are avail
able, such as whitehead paint, liquid
grating wax, coal tar, or a mixture
of three-fourths to two-thirds coal
tar and one-fourth to one-third creo-
sote oil, all to be applied with a
stiff brush. Liquid grating wax
is somewhat expensive and often re-
quires warming, so that it is not
usually preferred. Coal tar, while
cheap. requires warming, and is,
therefore difficult to apply. The de-
partment experts have used for this
purpose mainly whitehead paint
(made rather thick, and preferably
given a second coat) or the coal-tar
creosote mixture.
Whitehead paint has some adj
vantages. It Is readily obtained and
applied, and II any Of the gummy
cxudate, which is more or less red
dish or brownish in color, flows from
an imperfect worked case, it is
readily detected on the white surface.
On the other hand, this paint has
proven disappointment to the de-
partment and experiment-station pa
thorogists in. that it frequently. has
not preserved the, wood from decay.
Itsis rather too mild a disinfectant.
The wood cracks, lets in water and
fungus spores, and frequently after
three or four years and before large
wounds have healed wood-rot fungi
have entered and decayed the wood
under the paint. Even though APP
piled to the wounds when they are
dry, the sap pressure, even in the
autumn, often lifts the paint from
the surface OF the wound, particular
ly in the case Of scars on the ends OF
the branches.
The coal-tar creosote-oil mixture
is not open to these objections and
for these reasons is rather prefer.
able. 1t is used very commonly and
successfully on shade trees. and while
there Is still some question about Its
use on fruit trees, 1t has given good
results on pears and apples, even
though the healing from the margin
does not proceed quite as rapidly and
smoothly as with the lead paint. The
coal-tar creosote-oil mixture is a
powerful disinfectant penetrates the
wood to- some extent. and is both q
disinfectant and q waterproof coat
ing. II made too thin 1t penetrates
rather too deeply and does not an
swer fully for waterproofing II
made too thick 1t is not convenient to
apply. In cold weather slight warns
| ing Is sometimes useful, but with a
sti6 brush under ordinary conditions
1t works WELL 1t has tendency
to kill the wood under the cambium
slightly and sonnet times to kill back
q little, but II does not XIII the edges
of the bark to amy serious extent,
This mix lllg ii beat Applied ililhlo.