520 FRUIT CULTURE IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES. 



be covered with the disease, the fruit stops growing, gets black, and 

 falls. It is said that petroleum sprinkled on the trunk and on the 

 branches has proved somewhat of a remedy. 



The mosca (fly) is another pest damaging both kinds of fruit. It gen- 

 erally appears in the beginning of summer, stinging the fruits arid de- 

 positiug-.therein its eggs, which develop into grubs which destroy the 

 fruit. 



The gum disease. Besides those insects, there is also il male della 

 gomma (gum disease), which greatly injures the whole tree, if not pre- 

 vented in time. It makes its first appearance with a small spot on the 

 trunk gradually enlarging to about one inch wide, and, in the course 

 of four days, causes a crack on the bark, wherefrom a white yellowish 

 liquid, like milk, drops out. Said liquid becomes thick and thicker 

 like small gum drops, and in a few days later they look like transparent 

 yellow pearls. 



According to Professor Cassella's experiments in his grove, where he 

 has saved a great number of trees, to destroy and preserve orchards 

 from such a disease, it seems the following methods are highly recom- 

 mendable, viz: 



(1). When a plant has been attacked, all the infested parts of the 

 bark and wood are to be cut out and care taken to destroy all the 

 tissues affected by the disease, then take some quicklime, and while it 

 is still warm rub all the wound and especially the parts mostly infected. 

 This done, cover the same to about one-third of an inch thick with the 

 same lime, but cold, and cover the whole with paper or something else. 

 Two mouths later take everything off and you will find the wood with- 

 out any alteration. 



(2) To preserve the tree from the disease, mix 9 parts of lime and 1 

 part of ashes, and dissolve the same like whitewash. Then dig a ditch 

 around the tree, about 3 feet in diameter, by unearthing the largest 

 roots of the tree, and pour into the ditch about 30 or 40 liters (7J or 10 

 gallons) of the compost stuff, and with such a proportion for large, adult 

 trees, treat the others according to age and size. In conclusion, to avoid 

 such disease, for new groves, bitter-orange seed is recommended for 

 planting, and then grafting at pleasure, as above stated. 



Beplanting. On replanting young trees for final stay, as per expe- 

 rience had by several orange and lemon growers in this district, I un- 

 derstand that one of the most interesting points is the secret that when 

 said planting t is to be done, it is necessary to cut the end piece off the 

 main root, about 3 inches long, for the reason that, if left on, it would 

 draw all the humor from the ground, and would also prolong the growth 

 and the trees to bear fruits. I may here give the total production 'of 

 this fruit in the whole Kingdom of Italy. Out of the twelve agrarian 

 regions into which Italy is divided, only in two of them the acid fruit 

 tree is not cultivated, that is, in Piedmont, Emilia, and a part of Lazio. 



