June, 1889. 
129 
ORCHARD 
GARDE 
the cambium layer beneath it, the repeated 
development of the knots testifies. 
There are, however, other reproductive 
bodies produced by the fungus of black- 
knot which may afford even a more ready 
means for the propagation and spread of 
the disease than that mentioned above. 
We will briefly follow the course of devel- 
opment of the knots and note these spore- 
forms in the order of their succession. It 
is stated upon good authority that the first 
manifestation of the knots is in the Fall and 
appears as a slight swelling of the bark 
along the branches. These make but little 
growth until the following Spring when 
they enlarge rapidly, attaining nearly their 
full size in a few weeks. We have never 
noticed the swellings in the Fall but we 
have observed their development in the 
Spring w hich is often surprisingly rapid at 
about the time the trees are first in full leaf. 
The length of time between the period of 
infection, that is, from the germination of 
the spores and their penetration of the cam- 
bium layer, and the first external manifes- 
tation of the disease is not known nor do 
we exactly know the conditions that are 
most favorable to the growth of the fungus. 
Doubtless moisture is necessary to effect 
the germination of the spores and it is prob- 
able that the knots will form most quickly 
in trees which are under high culture and 
growing rapidly. We are inclined to be- 
lieve that, although infection may occur in 
the Fall or during the latter part of sum- 
mer, it also may take place in very early 
Spring through the agency of the spores, al- 
ready described, which are ripe at that 
season. 
The bark over the forming knots expands 
with their growth for a time, but it is final- 
ly burst asunder, exposing the diseased 
growth composing them. About the first 
of June, in the latitude of New Jersey, this 
exposed surface presents a velvety surface 
of a dark olive-green color. This is due to 
the growth of a vast number of spore-bear- 
ing stalks all over the outside. Three of 
these stalks are shown in figure 1589, with 
their spores attached. Considering the vast 
number of these reproductive bodies, borne 
upon every newly developed knot, it is a 
wonder that any tree escapes the disease. 
As the season advances the surface of the 
knots becomes roughened and pimply, 
much as we have seen it in the mature 
specimens, and at this period these pimples 
are the receptacles for another kind of spore 
termed stylospore. These are oval or ob- 
long in shape and are divided by transverse 
positions into three cells. They are all 
borne on very slender stalks as shown in 
figure 1588, where several of the stylospores 
are illustrated very much magnified. The 
fungus continues alive and active in the 
knots throughout the summer and following 
winter when the spore-form first described 
is produced, after which it dies and we 
have left a mass of dead tissue which may 
afford protection or support for various in- 
sects and these may add to the injury al- 
ready occasioned to the tree. 
From what has been said we learn that 
the fungus of black-knot is abundantly sup- 
plied with means for reproduction and we 
cannot too promptly remove and destroy the 
knots whenever and wherever they appear, 
not only from our cultivated varieties of 
cherry and plum trees but from the wild 
varieties which are also attacked by the 
parasite. The knots on a single wild tree 
will produce spores enough to invest the 
cultivated trees of an entire county. Badly 
diseased trees of either sort should be cut 
down and the knots burned or otherwise 
destroyed at once. When there is only 
here and there a branch that is diseased 
these alone may be removed, the knots de- 
stroyed and the trees then disinfected by a 
thorough washing with the Bordeaux mix- 
ture, or, if the work be done in the winter, 
with a very strong (30 to 50 percent.) solu- 
tion of sulphate of iron. These solutions, 
if well applied with a strong force pump, 
will doubtless destroy or at least prevent 
the germination of any of the fungus spores 
that may be resting on the bark awaiting 
suitable conditions for development. The 
same solutions if applied directly to the 
newly developed knots would probably pre- 
vent the formation of the spores but would 
not be likely to check the growth of the 
fungus occupying the deeper tissues. The 
spread of the disease might thus be prevent- 
ed but the injury then going on could not 
be checked. The knots ought to be remov- 
ed on account of the attraction they offer 
to insects if for no other reason. When the 
swellings appear on the larger limbs and 
trunks of the trees, cut them carefully out, 
extending the cut from two or three inches 
above and below the knots and then paint 
the wounds, first with a strong solution of 
iron sulphate and then with some oil paint. 
From the contagious character of the dis- 
ease it can be stamped out only by concert- 
ed action and the extent of the losses occa- 
sioned by its ravages make it a subject for 
State consideration. 
Treatment of Club-root in Cabbages. 
From studies made in Germany for dis- 
covering a way of preventing the less caus- 
ed by the ravages of the fungus Plasmodio- 
phora Brassicae, disinfecting the soil with 
bisulphide of carbon has given the best re- 
sults. It seems useful, also, to change 
the stock, but the young plants are often 
infected in the seed-beds, and then the dis- 
ease becomes as bad as ever. 
Potato Scab. 
This disease has generally been attributed 
to some injurious element in the soil. Herr 
J. Brunchorst, a German investigator, main- 
tains that i' is caused by a parasitic fungus 
allied to that which causes club-root in 
cabbages, and he names it Sponyospora So- 
lani. The brown crusts or spots which cover 
the tubers he claims are due to knots or 
aggregations produced by the fungus, and 
are covered by the normal rind of the 
potato. 
<; rou I ii" IN lit Bearing Trees. 
There are few more enjoyable things 
about a farmer’s home than a small nut 
grove and there are many places where a 
nut tree might be very suitably planted 
both for ornament and for profit. They 
may be planted in hedgerows or by the 
roadside and will well pay for the trou ble 
of growii g them. 
The young trees may be readily grown 
by anyone or they may be purchased from 
the nurserymen. Being quite easy to grow 
it will be the most convenient to grow them 
in one’s own garden. Trees transplanted 
from the woods are not desirable as they do 
not always bear removal well. Nuts that 
are saved for seed should not be allowed to 
become dry but kept in damp sand or moss 
as soon as gathered. If planted at once af- 
ter gathering so much the better; the fresh- 
er they are from the tree the more certain 
they are to grow. Black walnuts and but- 
ternuts will keep fresh a longer time than 
hickories or chestnuts on account of iheir 
thick outer shuck. Drop the seeds in the 
ground about three inches deep, in rows 
three feet apart. 
After the young trees appear give them 
clean cultivation and grow them in the nur- 
sery rows two years. Whilst they are mak- 
ing this growth insert a sharp spade into 
the soil along the rows of trees in a slant- 
ing direction so as to pass under the trees 
and so cutting off the tap root. This is fol- 
lowed with a fine growth of fibrous roots 
and at the proper time the trees may be 
transplanted with perfect success. If the 
young trees are to be planted in an orchard 
by themselves they should be put inrowsat 
a distance of from thirty to forty feet apart. 
The ground may be planted in some hoed 
crop such as potatoes, beans, etc., that will 
ensure good cultivation. When the trees 
come into bearing the ground may be seed- 
ed down and pastured. The walnut and 
chestnut grow the most rapidly, the butter- 
nut next, and the hickory the slowest of all. 
There is no reason why every body who 
lives in the country and has a little land of 
his own should not have a few nut-bearing 
trees around him. It will cost little to make 
the attempt. Look out for fine specimens 
of nuts in your neighborhood and when 
they are ripe secure some and plant them 
at once. 
Numerous instances of barrenness from 
lack of proper fertilization have convinced 
us that nut trees when planted singly are 
sometimes unreliable as to their fruiting, 
and that, if possible, they should be planted 
in groups. The chestnut especially fre- 
quently fails to bear alone. Like the na- 
tive plums, the young trees do not seem to 
pollenize their own flowers. 
Beecham's Pills actllike magic on a weak stomach. 
