1 age 6 



BETTER FRUIT 



September 



most abundantly in the e;irly-niorning 

 hours, so it is very easy for these in- 

 sects to carry the blight germs upim 

 their feet and nioiilli parts from the 

 base of the trees to the blossoms, which 

 are very susceptible at this season of 

 the year. 



A few years ago several hundred 

 trees were used in an experiment for 

 the control of crown gall. In this ex- 

 periment various chemicals were ap- 

 plied to crown-gall infections on the 

 roots of such trees. Among other com- 

 pounds sulphur was used very gener- 

 ously in this experiment and in check- 

 ing up on the results of this experiment 

 we noticed that wherever powdered 

 sulphur was used, that we seldom 

 found any insects around the base of 

 the trees, while on the check trees and 

 on many of the other trees in the ex- 

 periment, click beetles and other in- 

 sects were found (]iiitc generally. From 

 this experiment with sulphur on crown 

 gall we conceived the idea that sulphur 

 around the base of the trees might act 

 as an aid in controlling blight. When 

 this fact was made known to some of 

 our orchardists, two carloads of sul- 

 phur were purchased by the growers 

 and applied at the rate of 2 to 4 pounds 

 around the base of each tree, usually 

 about 2 or 3 inches below the surface 

 of the soil. This sulphur has been 

 around these trees for the past three 

 years and apparently is quite a factor 

 in controlling blight. Tanglefoot bands 

 around the trunks of trees have also 

 proved to be an aid in controlling blight 

 by catching insects that crawl up and 

 down the trunks. 



The use of sprays for the control of 

 pear and apple blight has been discour- 

 aged by the Department of Agriculture 

 and Experiment Stations for many 

 years, and investigators have not been 

 experimenting to any extent with 

 sprays for the control of blight. Our 

 idea in experimenting with this spray 

 for the control of blight was not that 

 we would control or retard the de- 

 velopment of blight after it had once 

 gained access to the sap of the trees. 

 Our idea in spraying was to destroy the 

 agencies that carry the blight germ 

 from tree to tree. 



After finding many species of insects 

 that were spreading the blight we 

 directed our attention to the control of 

 such insects by various spray applica- 

 tions. Upon investigation we have 

 found in every orchard vast numbers 

 of the common grain or weed thrip. 

 These insects are very small and work 

 in the blossoms and in the axils of the 

 young growing leaves and, due to their 

 habits, they are considered one of the 

 most active species of insects in dis- 

 seminating blight. A spraying cam- 

 paign was directed against these grain 

 thrip and one of our most active species 

 of insects in the spreading of blight 

 has been controlled. The spray used 

 for this work is nicotine sulphate, 1 

 part to 800 parts; distillate oil emul- 

 sion, iy2 per cent. Arsenate of lead 

 may be combined with these ingre- 

 dients if necessary to control codling 

 moth and other leaf-eating insects. If 

 this spray is applied when the first out- 

 break of blight is noticed, new infec- 



Bliglit ciclliT :it work on ront system of Nelis. 

 \Vc condemn such trees now and have them 

 removed entirely. It is \ cry dillicult to eradi- 

 cate all blight in a case of this kind. 



tion may be prevented and the blight 

 cutters can eliminate all visible infec- 

 tions. If new infections arc not pre- 

 vented in some such manner it is al- 

 most impossible for the blight cutters 

 to keep up with the work, as in many 

 cases branches would be infected with 

 no visible signs of any infection, and 

 would wilt down in a few days with 

 this same process repeated continu- 

 ously during the summer. This spray- 

 ing seems to prevent the spread of the 

 blight for a few days and allows the 

 blight cutters time to remove all 

 sources of infection. This spray has 

 been used for two seasons in many of 

 our orchards with excellent results. 

 M'e should bear in mind that this spray- 

 ing alone should not be counted upon 



to entirely control blight. It is merely 

 an aid. 



The county pathologist made a very 

 thorough study of disinfectants and 

 decided to recommend the use of cresol 

 instead of the bichloride of mercury. 

 This cresol of a .')0-per-cent strength is 

 used 1 to 2 parts to 100 parts water. 

 We have found that we have less rein- 

 fection of wounds and that insects do 

 not bother fresh wounds as much 

 where cresol is used as they would 

 with the bichloride of mercury. This 

 cresol is a soapy solution and is not 

 injurious to the hands or does not cor- 

 rode the instruments. 



The following program of procedure 

 is recommended: (1) Careful inspec- 

 tion of top of trees and root system 

 and removal of all infected parts. Do 

 not encourage treatment of large infec- 

 tions; better to remove the old trees. 

 (2) One to three pounds of sulphur 

 around the base of trees. (3) Tangle- 

 foot bands. (4) Spraying; use oil emul- 

 sion, nicotine and arsenate of lead to 

 eliminate insects that spread the blight. 

 (5) Use disinfectant cresol solution 

 one to two per cent so as to repel in- 

 sects that reinfect the wounds. (6) 

 Keep on the job all the time and remove 

 all infections as soon as they are 

 located. 



Click beetles taken from the base of young 

 apple tree infected with blight in roots. 



Favors Registered Bonds 



Secretary of the Treasury William 

 G. McAdoo favors registered Liberty 

 Bonds instead of coupon bonds for the 

 man who does not have a safety deposit 

 box, according to advice just given to 

 oflicers and employes of railroads 

 through an official circular signed by 

 McAdoo as director general of rail- 

 roads. "A large number of railroad 

 men by the purchase of Liberty Bonds 

 are now holding an investment security 

 for the first time," reads the circular. 

 "A large majority of the bonds so held 

 are coupon bonds. Coupon bonds must 

 be carefully guarded against loss or 

 theft. They are payable to bearer. If 

 they are lost, payment of them cannot 

 be stopped, and they cannot be replaced 

 by the Treasury Department. Coupon 

 bonds are suitable for investors who 

 possess safe-deposit boxes. Registered 

 bonds are provided to meet the needs 

 of persons who have no safe places of 

 deposit. Registered bonds are issued in 

 the name of the owner, which appears 

 on the face. The interest is paid by 

 United States check, drawn to the 

 order of the owner, and sent him by 

 mail. If a registered bond is stolen the 

 thief cannot use it except by forgery, 

 and the payment of the bond or the in- 

 terest checks may be stopped. The 

 bond itself may be replaced on proof 

 of loss and if proper security is given. 

 Hegistered bonds are the best suited for 

 the great majority of railroad men. The 

 number of coupon bonds outstanding in 

 the hands of railroad men — many of 

 them ke])t, doubtless, in places alTord- 

 ing no real security — is such a vast 

 aggregate amount that it causes serious 

 concern. This is a wholly unnecessary 

 risk." 



