The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1923-05-03

Blight on apple trees has been no.
ticeable in this section of Somerset
County. Samples of diseased apple
twigs have been sent to the Maine
Experiment Station at Orono by the
Observation-Disclosures and from that
department comes the report that
there is bacterial disease Of both
pears and apples. which judging from
the number of specimens seen In six
teen years is very rare in Maine and
the name Fireblight. particularly on
pears is avery appropriate one. 1t
starts early In the spring and kills
back the young shoots and even the
larger limbs very rapidly, leaving the
leaves attached to the branches and
these leaves assume an inky black
color or at least q very dark brown.
A small number Of suspected cases
Of blight on pears have come to the
attention Of the experiment station
but in only very few instances has
1t been possible to actually prove that
this was the trouble. About two
years. ago a very characteristic case
was reported from South Berwick. w.
j. Morse, director. of the experiment
station, visited the locality on ac-
count of the fact that the disease
commonly Known as blossom blight
had appeared upon nearby apple
trees. Mr.. Morse suspected that
this bacterial disease was causing the
trouble on the apple trees and quick
ly located nearby the diseased pear
tree from which it was spreading.
1t did not do much damage to the
apple trees except to kill back quite
a number of fruit spurs the infection
being carried to them by bees during
the spring. In some other sections
OF the country, particularly In the
West, fireblight, is a bad disease
among apple trees. Mr.. Morse does
NOT believe however, that 1t will ever
be serious here in Maine.
About six weeks ago County Agent
C. A. Storer forwarded some speci-
mems of apple branches to the Elk
pertinent Station which showed all
the characteristics Of the bacterial
blight of apples where the. disease
starts from infection of the blossom
id the spring. These specimens
were collected in skowhegan. From
the general appearance OF the speci-
mems which were sent from the In
iependent-R Mr.. Morse is
that they may be the same
as those sent by Mr.. Storer although
there has been throughout the State
considerable foliage injured. Mr..
Morse believes, it has been due to the
weather conditions. Most OF the
growth in the early part of the sea
son was made during cloudy, rainy
weather with plenty of moisture pre-
sent so that the leaves were tender
like those of plants grown in the
shade. Then when bright, hot days
came, or days with drying winds,
scprching resulted. There have
been q number Of cases which Mr..
Morse has observed which show vary
ing degrees OF injury to apple leaves
which he could not account for in
any other way.
Regardless OF the cause Of the
trouble, Director Morse suggests that
the diseased limbs be clipped of a
few inches back on the perfectly'
heaIthful wood and the diseased por-
lions burned. He also suggests that
pear blight is suspected, that the cut
surface be washed over with a s0lu-
ton of | to 1000 corrosive sublimate.
1t would also be good plan to,
search around in the neighborhood
where the blight has struck apple
trees, or a diseased pear tree. III
this is found It ought to be cleaned
up as described above or else des-
troyed.