THE AMERICAN BLIGHT.

Otago Witness, Issue 480, 9 February 1861, Page 9

THE AMERICAN BLIGHT.

The following communication appears in the Wellington Advertiser of the 26th uit. : —

Sib, — As I believe that I have discovered a plan, to destroy the American blight in apple trees, I semi you the following remarks, in the hope that my plan may be extensively tried next winter, and with a full persuasion that if carefully carried out it will result in success.

1 observed, on examining the roots of diseased trees, they were invariably covered with blight, and it appeared to me that if we could succeed in clearing the roots, we should not have much trouble with the trunk and branches. I had also read that a medal of honour had been presented to a Scotchman by the Emperor of the French, for his discovery that the application of sulphur would cure the vine disease. I, therefore, thought it worth a trial to .observe the effect of- the application of sulphur to. apple trees. If it cured vines, it might also cure apple trees. I have both an enctosed garden and an 1 orchard. Last winter I uncovered the roots of the apple trees as far as possible, covered them with a liberal application of sulphur, and returned the earth over all. The result has been that in the enclosed garden, up to the present moment, there has not been a particle of blight visible on trees which were previously covered with the disease, and in the orchard the blight is of trifling amount, although not yet eradicated. The success in the enclosed garden shows, 1 think, that sulphur is a specific for the disease, while the partial success in' the orchard shows only that the roots were not opened, nor .dressed with the same care as the others (which Avas the case} ; and I trust by a riiore careful dressing next winter to eradicate the disease there also.

i It has been suggested to bore a. hole in the stems of apple trees, and insert sulphur therein ; this, I conceive, is going on a Avrong principle. Plants must take up nourishment through the roots, and if, as I suspect, the blight is a consequence. of diseased sap, it is by j the roots that the sap -must be supplied with a remedy. The economy of my plan is one of its greatest merits. I dressed all my trees, the number being considerable, at an outlay of 'twelve shillings ! or sulphur. The treatment to be observed is then simply as. follows : — Clear off the earth from the roots of the apple trees during winter, as far as they can be conveniently followed, cover Avith a liberal application of sulphur, and replace the earth over all. It is probable that the sulphur performs two functions; destroys the blight on the bark of the roots, and purifies the ascejiding sap. -