SUMMARY. 33 



by seeds of mistletoe grown on the elm, the live oak from those on 

 the mesquite, etc. 



(9) The damage to trees may be very largely overcome by breaking 

 and scraping off the bunches and scattered sprouts of mistletoe every 

 year or two. If the parasite is attached to small branches these may 

 be primed off a few inches below the mistletoe, and thus the infection 

 be wholly removed at that point. 



(10) Infection upon old branches and upon the trunk is very diffi- 

 cult to get rid of, because the cortical roots spread freely in tiie soft 

 bark and any piece left there may give rise to new mistletoe sprouts. 

 Since the cortical roots do not extend into the wood (of course sinkers 

 d<> . the removal of the hard and soft bark clean to the wood about 

 an infected spot should exterminate the parasite at that point. The 

 objection to this method is that it necessitates large wounded sur- 

 faces. Such wounds should always be disinfected and afterwards 

 coated with tar. 



(11) In some cases mistletoe has been killed from old branches by 

 the application of chemicals, which rs made more effective by subse- 

 quently wrapping the limb with burlap. Thus carbolineum alone, 

 and asphalt paint with burlap wrapping, were found to eliminate the 

 infection. 



(12) It is suggested that a combination of the above methods 

 would be effective. First, remove with gouge or chisel the exposed 

 shoots or buds of mistletoe down to the wood without making large 

 wounds: fill the larger wound holes with tar, and paint the whole 

 surface with carbolineum or with asphalt paint. When asphalt paint 

 is used wrap afterwards with burlap. 



(13) The cutting off of large branches in order to get rid of mistletoe 

 is to be discouraged. It is apt to injure a tree more than the mistletoe 

 would, particularly if the latter be broken or scraped off every few 

 years. 



(14) Every wound on a tree, e. g., those caused by digging out 

 mistletoe or by cutting off branches, is a point of attack for disease- 

 causing germs. Such wounds should always be disinfected and 

 painted with tar or some similar waterproof coating. 



(15) The mistletoe question resolves itself largely into the question 

 of the care of trees. The spoiling or killing of trees by mistletoe is 

 due chiefly to neglect. A well-organized movement in behalf of 

 civic improvement would help to remedy this defect. City and county 

 officials who have charge of streets and parks and public highways 

 should be required to see that trees on public ground are kept free 

 from mistletoe. 



(16) The use of the mistletoe in Christmas decorations gives it a 

 commercial status which has some bearing on the question of its 

 control and extermination. 



