The Palatka news and advertiser., 1917-02-16

Press Bulletin 262, of the Florida
Experiment Station, mailed February
6, gave general directions for first
steps to be taken in the case of in
jury to citrus trees from the cold.
The recent cold wave, like many of
the previous ones, has been extremely
erratic. Frequently citrus trees in
the same grove, under apparently the
same condition, will show wide vari-
alton in the amount of damage done.
Often small trees far to the south
ward will have been cut to the bank,
while those further northward have
lost only the foliage and smaller
limbs. Where either bark or trunk
has split, the first step should be to
protect it from dying out. Any sort
of wrapping and then banking will
serve the purpose temporarily.
After first relief has been given,
and time permits, the banks may be
taken down and the injured portion
given more careful attention. In the
course of ten days to two weeks, un-
der favorable weather conditions, it
will be possible to ascertain whether
the trunk has been killed or not. If
the tree has split, or the bark has
split, it will be well to examine it
closely. By means of the budding
knife, or otherwise, put the injured
portion in the best possible shape and
follow this by an application of some
antiseptic. The best that can be used
is liquid grating wax. This is some
what expensive and frequently diff
cult to get promptly. In the alb
sence of liquid grating wax some
other antiseptic may be used. Ave
narious carbolineum is good where
this can be had. The ordinary car
bolineum is not safe, as some of the
material sold under this name is very
caustic. Crude carbolic acid diluted
with equal parts of water has also
proved a good antiseptic. Unfortu-
nately, the material sold as crude car
bolic acid is quite valuable. If no
other antiseptic is procurable, mer-
curic bichloride solution made from
the tablets will be found useful as a
temporary preventive. After the an
tiseptic has been applied and become
dry, the wound may be covered with
liquid grating wax or with some good
paint. 1t is well, also, to wrap the
trunk with grating tape to keep out
further infection and keep the trunk
from drying out.
Careful attention to these details
cannot be urged too strongly, especial
ly in those regions where foot rot has
been more or less prevalent. Many
minor injuries are likely to be over
looked. Previous freezes have shown
a marked increase in foot-rot trouble.
The best authorities agree that foot
rot is due to a pathogenic organism.
1t is rather important to replace the
bank, since there is every possibility
of another drop in temperature suffi-
GENTLY low to prove injurious.
In some cases it will be found that a
ring of bark has been killed by the
cold A bridge graft may be EN-.
ployed to tide the tree over until the
bark is healed across the frozen por
ton.
In a grove of any considerable size
it will be found that trees will be in
iured in varying degrees. 1t will al
so be found that nearly every tree
will be a case that will have to be
treated slightly different from every
other one.
The prompt falling of leaves from
the tree is good sign. However,
the leaves may fall and the tree still
be very seriously injured. This is es-
pecially true where the trunk has been
exposed, as in the case of trees less
than four or five years old. 1t may
readily happen in such cases that a
considerable ring of bark entirely
around the trunk has been frozen.
Every tree should be given individual
inspection with this point in mind.
The bark of the tree may be entirely
frozen and a sufficient amount OF
moisture pass up through the wood to
make it possible for the tree to shed
it's leaves and even to start young
growth. This condition was of fire.
| uuent occurrence after the great
freezes of '94 and '95. Many citrus
trees were in an active state of growth
during the recent cold spell, conse.
uuently the bark was especially ii
danger of being injured by the cold
This is true in trees even where M
bursting of the bark occurred
No one should be in great hast
about cutting out the injured wood
even if it should remain in the grovi
for several weeks. 1t is best to wal
until it can be told positively to wha
extent injury has occurred. Th'
length of time to wait will depend up
on weather conditions. AS soon a.
the extent of the injury can be defin
itely ascertained, all dead and veal
wood should be removed as prompt.
as possible. When such q time ar
rives it will be found most profta
bic to remove all of the wood bacl
to that which is strong and vigorous
Usually the mistake is made of leav
ing much wood that is weak, whicl
invites disease and destruction later
If it is necessary to sacrifice larg
limbs or even the entire top of tree
there should be no hesitancy abou
doing so. Wounds should be protect
ed Immediately. An application o