The Daytona daily news. [volume] (Daytona, Fla.) 1903-1926, 1917-02-12
Treatment OF CITRUS
TREES INJURED BY COLD

The following timely suggestion for
the treatment OF citrus trees damaged
by the recent severe cold ST written
by Prof p H. Rolls. of the Agricul-
tural experiment station of the Uni
versity of Florida at Gainesville.
When excessively low temperature
has occurred in the citrus region the
bark of the trees is quite likely to
split; if very cold even the trunks
of the trees may split. The first step
should be in the direction of taking
care of the injury as far as possible.
Frequently the bark is not all dead
even when split has occurred. Death
sometimes follows as result of dry
ing out after the freezing
The first step to prevent excessive
injury would be to bind the bark up
as carefully and securely as possible
After the bark has been bound up and
put in as good condition as possible,
banking the trunk will do much to-
ward preventing excessive loss of
moisture. When trees are treated in
this way care must be taken to pro-
tect the injured portion against invas-
ion by rot fungi and attacks of insects
and other pests. AntiSeptic solutions
applied to the injured portion will do
much in this direction Trash and
other rOtting stuff should not be in
cluded i'll the bank This is the first
step in providing first aid to the 'n-
jured.'
Pruning.
No one should be in great haste
about cutting off the injured portion
II one is certain that the tops and
branches are all dead it is we'll enough
to cut the dead material away How
ever, the most experienced persons
make mistakes in the direction of cut
ting out branches and even cutting
on entire trunks that have been left
quite uninjured, and in this way add
good deal to the damage to the
tree. AS soon as the new growth
shows definitely the extent of the in
jury all the dead wood should be
cut out and Immediately burned This
Is done as a precautionary measure
to keep down melanose and withertip.
Both Of these fungi grow readily in
dead citrus wood
All the sprouts that come out from
the trunk or from the root should
be allowed to grow. The very large
root system needs all the leaf surface
that can be furnished to keep it in the
best OF health
Cultivation.
A citrus tree whether sick or we'll re
spends readily to good methods OF
cultivation The methods OF cultiva
ton will be quite variable for differ
ent classes of soil and different groves
Whatever will keep the soil in Il mel
low condition and keep il moist dur
ing excessive drOuth usually produce
the best growth. Cultivation Of tree
should be continued as would hav
been the case if the grove had no
been injured by cold
Fertilization
Many trees have been recently fel
tilted and these Will not need anotl
er application until large top croWt
has been produced Many grove
however have received the minimum
amount OF fertilizer. to stimulat
healthy growth ana produce 4 maN
mum amount Of healthy wood il vi
he necessary TO apply fertilizer to sue
trees. The amount to be applied vi
vary with the condition ot the tree
before TIE freeze If tie trees ha,
shown that they We're abundant
supplied With plant food an addition
amount Nil probably l,e Of little WALTZ
II, however. tile yellow ms Of Il
leaves and the condition ii tie ira
have Shown that the trees were nee
Ing fertilizer. it would be profitai
to make an application Those ire
that have shown 4 decided yellow i
of the leaves Will need approximate
a full dose Of fertilizer Most ctr
trees after injury by cold need on