Rensselaer Union, Volume 7, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 October 1874 — Dust In Fruit Culture. [ARTICLE]

Dust In Fruit Culture.

It is singular that along dusty roadsides there is generally an abundance of fruit, and this abundance ■ is usually in proportion to the quantity of dust. Not only is the fruit abundant but the leaves are generally remarkably healthy; and we do not remember an instance of a blighted or. seriously diseased treO.when they have been covered with roadside dust. This has been frequently noted in regard to old pear trees in gardens along roadsides; but this year especially as to the cherry was very striking, particularly low-headed pie-cherries, which are more easily covered with dust than trees of larger size. In this vicinity this year we had a particularly dusty time. There was no rain of any consequence for five weeks, and the roads, many of them at least, are not famous for a freedom from dust. The consequence was that many of the trees were for weeks of a dusty brown instead of their usual living green. The trees did not seem to mind it in the least, and the prodigious crops of cherries that they bore was something wonderful. One friend gathered four hundred pounds from one tree, which he sold for ten cents per pound, yielding the handsome sum of forty dollars from one tree. This tree stands on his little grass patch in front of the house, and thus served the double purpose of putting money into its owner’s pocket and of screening the house from much of the dust. We do not pretend to account for this curious fact but rest with simply stating it. It is supposed that the plant breathes through its leaves —how it does this when covered with dust it is not for us to say. It may be that the minute insects which crowd on fruit trees generally don’t like dust; indeed people do say that it is to destroy insects that chickens so love to cover themselves with dust. Again, some people have a notion that many fruit diseases come from minute fungi, which develop on the leaves and branches, and soon cover the whole surface, destroying tissues as they go. It may be that absolutely dry dust falling on these minute juicy little plants may suck the moisture out of them and leave them high and dry. We do not pretend to discuss any of these propositions; at the same time it is curious to note that these dustCQvered fellows should always do so we]\.—Ger>/i<tiitoieii Telegraph.