Gum Rot in Fruit Trees.

Auckland Star, Volume XVII, Issue 78, 27 March 1886, Page 4

Gum Rot in Fruit Trees.

I'uis disease is noticed by small excrescences forming on the apricot, prune and cherry trees near the ground, and even extending up into tbe limbs. It is generally very prevalent after heavy rains which extend late into spring. The blight in the pear and apple, curl leaf in the peach tree, etc., are partly traceable to the same condition. This diseased state of the fruit trees, which is becoming more prevalent every year, invites the attack of certain insect pests, which would never occur to such an extent if fruit troes were kopt in a more healthy condition. Some learned professors and many fruit-growers ascribe these diseases to the sudden change of atmosphere ; others to iusects and abrasions, or wounds. The disease, however, in most cases ia caused by an unhealthy state of the roots, induced by excessive moisture in winter time, which chills tho soil. Thia condition of the aoil duri ,g the ?pring rots and scalds the young rootß, and disarranges the flow of sap, causing a number of diseases. As it is desirable to avoid these diseases in new orchards to be planted this winter, the under soil should be well drained, and the holes dug for the trees thia autumn, "bofore the heavy wet and cold weather set in. In fact, in heavy retentive soils thia is imperative, so that they may got properly sweetened. It ia almost aa cheap to labour soil while it is in a dry state aa in a wet, and the benefits to be derived will far more than rocoup the extra labour, while if laboured in a wet stato, it simply gets in such a cloggy stato that it is almost impossible to do anything with it, and is liable to remain in the same condition till late in the spring, and is sure to create the baßis of future diseases of the tree. All who intend to plant out new orchards this winter should have the ground drained and laboured now, so as to get it into a good sweet state for planting as early as the weather will allow, during the ond of May or beginning of June. Early planted trees on well-drained soil properly sweetened, would do away with the tendency to disease.