Vashon Island news-record. [volume] (Vashon, Wash.) 1919-1954, 1924-01-18
CANE GALL ON CANE
BERRIES DESCRIBED
BY Arthur Frank


problems with reference to the de-
generation troubles Of the berries.
Next we come to the troubles that
are caused by the presence Of a
definite organism that is present
in the tissues of the plant.
Perhaps the most serious trouble
of this type is that disease which
is known as cane gall or crown
gall. The affected plants have
produced on them gals, These
gals are on the roots, the crown
of the plant and also on the canes.
These gals arc produced by the
action Of bacteria which cause the
stimulation of cells which produce
the gals. The gals may be very
slight or they may may he so large
as to involve the whole cane and
thus cause the death of the
| part of the cane above the gall.
Often the gals may appear at the
places where laterals branch and
even out of the midveins of the
leaves. Whenever the gals are
present on the canes they will al
so be present on the roots.
The bacteria live within the
plant and if small plants are tax
en- from diseased parent plants
they are aslo apt to be diseased.
If the trouble is entirely within
there is no known method Of con-
trolling it except by the de-
struction of the diseased plants.
Whenever diseased plant is
found it should be uprooted and
destroyed. If a large number of
plants is found to be infected in
field. the thing to do is to leave
them until the field becomes I'M
productive and then destroy the
field. Usually it is but a short
time until the field is unproduc-
tive after it is infected and much
time will be saved by destroying
it at once and starting new field.
For safety it is not advisable to
plant berries or fruit trees in the
same ground that has grown a dis
eased field for at least several
years.
The crown gall is found serious
ly upon red raspberries, blackcap
raspberries, loganberries. Himal
ava Giant blacl1berries and other
varieties of bush blackberries
Its virulence varies with the sea
son. Some seasons, those that in
duce a rapid, quick succulent
growth of canes, will also cause
virulent attack of cane gall.
Seasons which do not have quick
growth do not have so much
trouble with the cane gall.
There is a state quarantine
which puts all infected fields ind
err quarantine. No plants may be
scld or taken from such fields.
This is very important safeguard
and should be observed carefully.
Much has been said about the
bacteria which cause this trouble
being native to the soils of GER
tain districts. Up to this time
there has been no evidence prov
ing this condition has been furn-
ished. In great many cases
such claims when traced carefully
back are disproved by finding that
some time in the past plants dis
eased with crown gall have been
growing upon the soil and have
been removed. Other plants have
become infected and SO the trouble
has been carried on down until
other susceptible plants Of a cul-
tiyated variety have been planted
when the disease has attacked
them.
The utmost care should be exer-
cised in the control of cane gall.
Diseased fields should be rigidly
quarantined. The diseased plants
should be destroyed as soon as
possible. No chances should be
taken of spreading the trouble
from plant to plant in the row by
cultivation. Use no plants for re-
setting which have come from dis.
eased plants. Use no sets at all
from diseased plants.
II might be said in passing that
the crown gall also attacks most
Of our fruit trees, many ornament
al bushes and many vegetables
and constitutes "a trouble of the
first magnitude.
Tough Luck, Sure Enough.