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


AUTUMN WORK
Continued from page 6, second seq
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wood and bark. The edges of the
bark should be trimmed smoothly
and neatly, SO that they can be readi-
aly disinfected and healing Of the
wound can properly take place.
Use Disinfectants.
In all cases Of blight cutting des-
cribed above, a dfsinfectant should
be carried constantly by the worker
and each pruning wound or scar
should be thoroughly wiped and
saturated with this disinfectant and
the tools wiped and cleaned with dis
tnfectant before going to the next
case. Distinction of the tools be-
fore they are used again on any other
part Of the tree is necessary to in
sure success, as infected tools may
carry blight from diseased to healthy
parts. Various disinfectants may be
used. One of the most convenient
Is a water solution Of corrosive subli-
mate (1-1,000). Tablets can be pur-
chased at the drug store which will
make this strength by adding one
tablet to a pint OF water The solu-
ton should be kept in a bottle with
a cork and the operator should carry
a sponge or roll Of soft cotton cloth
for saturating with the disinfectant
and for wiping the wound and imple-
inents. The most convenient way is
to have a small kit or a basket and
carry all the tools, including the bot
tie Of disinfectant. in this kit. The
sponge or swab OF cotton cloth can
be tied to a stout string about arms
length and fastened to a, button hole
on the OPERATORS clothing.
Caution-Corrosive sublimate is q
deadly poison. The tablets and the
bottle of disinfectant should be SO
labeled plainly and should be kept
away from children and other per-
sons, and the bottle of solution, when
not in use, being very inexpensive,
should be emptied.
Corrosive sublimate is a powerful
germicide, but does not penetrate
deeply. It does not kill the cut edges
OF the bark. Other disinfectants can
be used. A tablespoonful of ordinary
bleaching powder or chloride of lime
placed IN gallon Of. water is eff
fective. A two per cent bluestone
solution at the strength Of one ounce
TO the gallon is likewise good
germicide. These solutions should
always be kept in glass bottle or
otherwise chemically clean contain
ers. They should never be put in tin
cans or metal containers of any sort,
since the solutions are decomposed
and rendered inert by metals. The
water used should be reasonably
clean and the sponge or swab should
be kept clean by occasional washing.
Hints for Effective Work.
Begin operations at the base OF the
base of the tree and work upward,
otherwise a lot OF time and careful
work may be wasted on the upper
part of a branch which it is later
found as necessary to remove, or body
blight or even collar blight found
later on the tree may cause it to be
condemned In some cases there is
a limit TO the amount of work which
the grower is willing to do to save
tree. The blight should be re-
moved even If 1t necessitates con-
demning the tree and roofing 1t out.
A tree partly injured by collar blight
may be cleaned up and saved. This
often requires digging the dirt away
and working partly underground. It
is necessary, however. to follow the
margin OF the disease, even il 1t car
.ries you into the ground, just us II
you were tracing the boundaries OF
an island. 1t is usually best to
condemn a tree girdled by collar
blight. 1t is possible. however. after
doing thoroughly. work Of eradication
with a rather mild case OF collar
blight, to bridge graft and thus save
the tree by the same process used
in bridge grating a tree girdled by
mice or other animals.
Collar blight can best be detected
in the autumn, just before the pear
or apple trees shed their leaves. This
and similar injuries to the collar of a
tree will cause the leaves to yellow
and assume bronze or autumn colors
and even drop. while those on the
normal, healthy trees are still green.
Other troubles, such as injuries by
mice. frost collar glrdle. and fun
gous root rot cause similar symptoms
but these symptoms should lead to
an inspection Of the collar.
/ To inspect the collar of tree or
any doubtful point on the body or
on large limbs, dig out with a car
penter's gouge or sharp knife a
small piece OF the outer bark, expos
ing an area Of the fieshy bark the
size of ones thumb nail. The cut
should not be made through to the
cambium and Will do no injury If the
bark is all right at that point. Al
ways do this with a disinfectant in
hand and promptly dlsinfect the cut,
otherwise you may inoculate the
blight or at least give an opportuni-
~ for incubation. Keep the knife
or gouge continually disinfected dur
ing this inspection.
Do not be deceived by til e rior-
md roue tsbssk otlnat lion ishiell