Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1918-04-16
Wlnter lpiury OF Apple Trees.

Winter Injury OF Apple Trees.
Periodically Maine suffers more OF
less loss from winter injury Of fruit
trees. It is recorded that during the
winters of 1908 04 and 1904-E greater
injury was experienced than during the
20 years Immediately preceding, but It 10
probable that the winter of 1908-07 was
the most disastrous In the history OF
Maine orchardipg. OF $50 orchards,
containing AS, 1s4 trees, which were In
spected by the officials Of the State De-
psrtment OF Agriculture the following
summer, 24,813 trees were found to be
killed outright and 1t was estimated that
fully as many more we're injured.
The winter OF 1917-18 Is generally con-
oeded to be the most severe one that has
occurred since that Of 1905 on. This has
raised the question In the minds Of some
Who are directly interested In the
orchard industry as to whether losses
similar to those following that season
might be expected this year. As in
dicating that this is by no means an
imaginary fear It may be said that on
March so the Maine Agricultural Ex-
pertinent Station received from corre-
spondent in southern Somerset County
some very pronounced specimens Of
winter injury on Baldwins. The sender
stated that nearly all of his bearing
'rees, which were making good growth
of wood and produced quite q heavy
crop Of apples last season, were affected.
Trees under bearing age were said to
appear much better and some Of them
are all right. Usually young trees are
among the first to suffer from winter in
jury, and the old trees last.
Winter injury is frequently not oh.
served until the blossoming period or
aven later. The flower buds may open
and even the young leaves begin to
grow. Then suddenly both will begin
o wither and dry up. Examination
will show that the bark has also begun
70 dry out and shrink up, showing
more or less wrinkled surface.
AZ illustrated by the case mentioned
above an experienced orchardist can
usually detect certain signs OF winter in-
jury some time before this. The bark
when cut into appears discolored and
unhealthy and almost invariably the
cambium zone, or the line which
separates the bark from the wood,
shows more or less discolorstion. Ere
quently this appears as fairly distinct
brown line, quite different from normal
conditions. In bad cases the wood It
self may show some discoloration this
early In the season. Bark injury may
appear only on one side OF the limb or
twig. Where winter injury Is present,
IL one is not familiar with the difference
between the bark and wood of healthy
limbs and those affected by winter in
jury, be can soon become 80 by cutting
into number Of different limbs and
twigs With q pocket knife, for every
oro6ardist is familiar with the appear.
ance OF normal bark and " cd.
Where winter injury has occurred IL is
difficult at this time to make an accurate
estimate of its seriousness and extent
and there Is little that can be done ex.
cept to keep close watch on the trees
In order to remove the dead and badly in
jured portions as soon as they can be de-
tected with certainty. Trees which show
undoubted effects of winter injury 1t
would probably be best not to prune at all
just now, or prune them with consider
able caution to remove only those portions
which are most seriously injured. This
suggestion Is made to prevent the pre-
mature removal of healthy wood which
may be needed for .reshaping the tree
later. On the other hand 1t is OF the
greatest importance that all badly
diseased or dead wood be removed just
as early In the growing season as
possible. This can be detected much
more readily and the extent Of the In
jury determined with greater certainty
during June and the latter part of May,
than at present. II the dead or diseased
wood is allowed to remain In the trees
during the summer various wood rotting
fungi will gain q foothold therein and
start decays which will spresd to the
healthy portions of the trees eventually
destroying many which otherwise might
be saved.-Chss. D. Woods, Director.