64 
will often of itself prove effectual. In removing the soil care 
should be taken not to injure the healthy roots, and a few pounds 
of slaked lime might be applied. 
Proper drainage of the soil is thus a good preventive of the 
disease. 
4. As highly nitrogenous organic manures seem to encourage 
the fungus or predispose the tree to its attacks, avoid them. 
o. Avoid close planting , as the excessive shade thus produced 
is favorable to the fungus, apart from its injurious effect upon the 
trees. 
6. Transplanting badly affected trees and giving them plenty 
of room has also been found beneficial. 
7. Avoid deep ploughing close to the tree, as the roots are 
thereby often injured and the entrance of the parasitic fungus 
encouraged. 
8. Jt has been found as a matter of practical experience that 
budded plants are less liable to the disease than grafted ones. The 
union of stock and scion in a graft is nearer the base where it is 
liable to be attacked than in budded plants, and the disoaso often 
occurs just at the junction. Besides budding makes a firmer 
union with the stock, and is both easier and quicker. Therefore 
budded are to be preferred to grafted trees, and layering seems to 
be best of all. 
9. Generally speaking, whatever encourages the healthy 
growth of the trees should be attended to, and whatever weakens 
their vitality should be avoided. As citrus trees arc very sensi¬ 
tive to water lodging at the roots irrigation should be used in 
moderation, and if water is allowed to flood the whole surface the 
germs of the disease may readily be transferred from one tree to 
another, and the drainage should be good, in order to provide for 
the perfect aeration and the equalization of the temperature of the 
soil. Deep planting and deep cultivation should be avoided, and 
too close plauting prevents the free access of light and the 
proper development of feeding roots. 
In order to get the best possible local experience, I addressed a 
few questions to one of our most successful citrus-growers in the 
Doncaster district, Mr. F. Finger, and in returning the answers 
he made the following remark—“ With regard to the ‘Collar 
Rot,’ I have been very lucky. I have not lost one tree with it 
yet, although I have had several affected, but they grow out of it. 
My oldest trees are on sweet orange stocks, and a lot of my 
younger ones are on bitter orange stocks. I have nouo on lemon 
stocks. I plant only layers now, as they have no union, and they 
are not so liable to get the ‘ Collar Rot.’ In fact, I have never 
seen any signs of the disease on them yet. They grow much 
quicker and bear finer fruit than seedlings.” 
