APRICOT DISEASE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1304, 6 December 1911, Page 10

APRICOT DISEASE.

. ORIGIN. AND. CAUSE .UNKNOWN. An .obscure disease that" ba3 ' so far baffled investigation' as to its origin and -cause.appeared some, time ago-in the apricot .trees at the'Waerenga Farm and is to be noticed'in fruit-growini; districts throughout'tho Dominion. The first indication of attack by the disease in question. 1 is, says, the ; Agricultural Department's cxpe'rt, an unhealthy appearance of the. bark at-the branch crown, viz., the point where the main" limfe branch out fi'om the stem. ' Cracking of the bark follows, together with the distortion of tho wood on . the Jimbs above, and .tho stem below the crown. Later' the disease travels up. the main lipibs, attacking, by degrees tho growth of. each successive season. In'one largonpricot orchard a considerable, number, of young trees died as ;i' result of attack by the disease. Apparently caused , by fungus, the usual 'methods of "control w : ere adopted, spraying, I.especially.with the winter formula of the Bordeailx niixtm-e. being carefully and thoroughly Carried out. The. result was quite unsatisfactory, the disease hoiug unchecked. Experiments in ,soil treatment were-then- attempted with th& object of endeavouring to control lite trouble "through, the action' of'the sap:'.' The trees being, fairly. Jarge,;a soil dressing..of. 3lb. of common salt and. 10!b. of lime was given to each, the,method of application -■bping.'-'to spread over the -surface away from, the' trnrik, -and- above the •feediugro6tsy and lightlv work in.'with spade or | fork.-. The<•'result. apiioars to havo '.been entirely satisfactory, ,11: iiutnber of tree's so-treated 'seeming.-to l^av<) 'thrown "off,tho ilisekse and rQcQvere'd" th'oir -vigour.' The "Joiirhal"' remark's, that it important. to note that this and other soil-dressings, such as for the conirol of.silver blight, etc.,- should be mad.o iu early spring just before, or about the time that thu buds begin to swell, so that the spring rainfall may incorporate the dressing, or a portion of it, with the soil about tho feedirig : r'ootsv If applied later and dry weather sets in, tho dressing remains inert throughout ■ the season.