Beelzebub 1339

[doctordolittle]

Predatory dealer wanting first go (4) H?RK. Maybe SHARK minus the first letter but what about the rest?
Declare old district deserted (5) OREA?. OREAL from O plus Real(M) deserted of one letter.
Poisonous substance alight inside volcanic hill ?ON?NE is I think CONINE. Cone is a type of volcano but IN meaning alight?

[Mamyalynne]

Yes 'in' - alight , as in 'is your cigarette in'

[Neveracrossword]

Declare... I think this is Aread, declare, - Area+D(eserted).

[doctordolittle]

That would make the o wrong. This comes from 'tree's outgrowth round mass (4)' ?M?A. OMMA fits - a type of tree = OMA (groth) around M (mass). SO I think the o stands

[Neveracrossword]

The tree is Amla - the outgrowth is 'ala' and add the M for Mass.

[doctordolittle]

I can see that AREAD fits well, so what do you make of 'tree's....'?'

[Neveracrossword]

I think our posts crossed.

[doctordolittle]

AMLA it is then, and so is AREAD. CONINE is sorted. What about H?RK?

[Neveracrossword]

Hark' seemed fine to me - 'one meaning in Chambers is 'to go' . The 'shark' is the predatory dealer and 'wanting' means the answer loses the first letter.