[Arid_gardener] Question from Home-Hort WWW page

[ksmart1 at cox.net]

Kathy
85249
ksmart1 at cox.net

I have a Brachychiton Populneus that we had planted approximately 1 year ago, the first summer it suffered trunk scalding from the intense western sun.  I wrapped the trunk until early spring. I pruned what I thought were small sucker branches, shortly after the tree dropped most of it's leaves, after some rookie research it seems as though the tree is suffering from Sooty Canker.  The leaves are very small and a light green almost yellow color.  This weekend I noticed the few clumps of leaves left are dropping and the branches seem to be flaking off.  I touched half a dozen branches and they broke off right at the trunk junction, leaving small holes.  

What now??  Can I treat the tree and save it? Will it infect another tree 25 feet away??  HELP!!!

Thanks!