30 
trunk in a lateral direction (fig.5). Year after year other portions of 
bark become affected, until the tree is entirely girdled and thereby 
killed. In malignant cases the disease runs its course and kills the tree 
in two years or less, while in mild cases the growth of the tree is scarcely 
affected, and in a few years the wounds are often completely covered 
with the new growth from the sides. The destruction of the bark on 
the trunk does not usually extend over 1 or 14 feet above the ground, 
but occurs on the roots for some distance below the surface. ~ 
Trees affected with foot rot appear at first as if they were suffering 
from lack of nourishment. The foliage becomes light yellow and scanty, 
the leaves developed being smaller than usual; the tree bears consid- _ 
erable fruit, apparently of normal size and good quality. This abun- 
dant fruiting is in marked contrast with blight, where a profuse bloom 
ge ep ati“ AN as 
Fic. 5.—Base of an old orange tree showing injuries and scars produced by foot rot. 
is formed, but very little fruit set. In trees suffering from this disease 
the smal! limbs die first, but as the malady progresses large limbs suc- 
cumb, thus giving the tree a ragged appearance. Again, in marked 
contrast with blight and with severe cases of die-back, no water sprouts 
develop from the interior of the tree top or from the trunk. In Florida 
trees are not usually attacked until they are quite old and have been 
bearing fruit for a number of years. In other regions, however, young 
trees are said to contract the disease. 
Psorosis,' a disease known in Florida as “tears” or ‘‘ gum disease,” is 
often confounded with foot rot, but is unquestionably quite distinct. In 
appearance it is similar to foot rot, but with it the diseased spots occur 
on the limbs and occasionally on the trunk, but never on the roots so 
1From the Greek wopa, meaning an ulcer. 
