GENERAL PRACTICE. DISEASES. 25, 



death of the branches. All dead branches and badly infested parts should be removed. 

 Thinning the trees when crowded, and the heads of individual trees so as to admit sun to 

 the soil and light and air to the interior, is a great check to lichen and moss growth. 

 The stems and larger branches should be scraped, using a piece of strong hoop iron, or 

 an implement as shown (Fig. 70) ; this, with a long handle, is well adapted for cleansing 

 lichen, moss, and rough bark from old trees. Washing trees whilst dormant with a hard 

 scrubbing-brush, dipped in a brine of common salt strong enough to stand an egg on end 

 but not float it, as often as necessary, to insure each portion of the bark being moistened 

 with it, destroys insects, lichen and moss. If the remaining parts of the tree are 

 sprayed with the brine, the effect is beneficial. Or, when the branches are quite wet 

 and there is little or no wind, as during a fog or just afterwards, freshly-slaked lime 

 should be thrown plentifully through the trees, and by means 

 of a ladder it may be scattered over the upper branches, distant 

 parts being coated by attaching a coarse bag to a pole. The 

 lime will adhere firmly, leaving the trees quite white. It 

 cleanses the stems, and the lime that falls to the ground is 

 there beneficial. Trees may also be kept free of lichen and 

 moss, and fungoid germs destroyed, by spraying them whilst 

 dormant with sulphate of copper, 1 pound to 25 gallons of water. 

 Mr. Leonard Coates, Napa, California, U.S.A., writing in 

 the Journal of 'Horticulture ', Yol. XVIII., Third Series, p. 513, 

 states : " It is customary to spray our orchards thoroughly 

 in the winter with a strong caustic solution as follows: 



Fig. 70. Moss AND LICHEN 



| pound of caustic soda (Greenbank's 98 per cent.), \ pound of SCRAPEB. 



crude commercial potash, 5 gallons of water, to be applied hot (say at 130), using a 



force-pump with brass cylinder and a spray nozzle attachment For peaches 



and apricots this formula should be altered to read 8 gallons of water. Pears, 

 apples, and plums will stand the full strength. This wash will kill the eggs of 

 almost any insect, and leaves the bark in a smooth healthy condition." This solution 

 has proved very effectual wherever it has been applied. 



Mr. S. T. Wright, Glewston Court Gardens, Boss, Herefordshire, states in a letter 

 before us, March 17th, 1891 : " I have done nearly all our trees (all except a few 

 old cider trees) with it, and it makes good work, cleansing the trees, and making the 

 bark look very clean and bright." Under date of May 9th, 1891, the same able 



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