318 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE 



This early treatment, so far as the peach was concerned, was mainly 

 intended to act as a preventive of leaf curl, Tajyhrina deformans. Owing, 

 doubtless, to the peculiarity of the season, this precautionary treatment 

 was apparently unnecessary, since, without regard to spraying, the entire 

 locality has been partially if not wholly exempt from this malady, this 

 season. 



In the absence of other attacks of fungi, no other applications of 

 fungicides have been found necessary. 



May 5, commenced examining peach trees to destroy such borers, u3Sgeria 

 exUiosn, as had escaped detection during the examinations of last Septem- 

 ber. Finished such examination on the 12th, finding an occasional larva. 



May 14, commenced jarring trees for curculio. Its depredations upon 

 the peach were very slight; and, as usual, mainly confined to the early and 

 comparatively smooth skinned varieties, while, even upon these, so few 

 insects were caught that examinations were soon abandoned, so far as the 

 peach was concerned, and, thereafter, the jarrings were confined to the 

 plum. 



Experience here quite clearly indicates the wisdom of planting plums 

 and peaches adjacent, and using the former as a curculio trap. 



The Rose Chafer, Macrodactylus siihspinosus has been less troublesome 

 than heretofore, only a very few having been discovered; an occasional 

 one only upon the peach. 



Within the last three or four years a new insect enemy has appeared in 

 the peach orchards of this vicinity, attacking the trunks and larger 

 branches of bearing trees. The eggs are deposited upon the bark and, 

 when hatched, the larva pierces the wood, making channels through and 

 through it, which, outwardly, appear as if occasioned by the firing of a 

 charge of small shot, with very serious and ultimately fatal effect upon the 

 vigor and health of the trees attacked. As soon as discovered, last year, a 

 coating of soap, lime and a little carbolic acid was applied to the trunks 

 and larger branches to prevent, as far as possible, the depositii g of the 

 eggs. The above mixture was again applied on May 20, 1896. A con- 

 siderable number of the older and more enfeebled trees have already been 

 dug and burned. 



In this immediate vicinity the entire spring passed without adequate 

 rainfall, and although there were a few slight showers during the early 

 summer, no copious rains occurred here prior to the middle of July. The 

 village water works became available on July 7, prior to which date much 

 expense was necessarily incurred in hauling water from Lake Michigan, 

 for use upon various crops including newly planted trees and others 

 heavily laden with fruit. To derive full benefit from access to the village 

 water mains some adequate arrangement for economical distribution is yet 

 needed. 



Most varieties of fruits sent to this station for trial come without 

 history, description, or in fact any clue to aid in determining their 

 genuineness. Cases indeed occasionally occur in which two trees, received 

 from the same source, under the same name, prove to be of distinct 

 varieties with no apparent means of determining which was the variety 

 really intended. 



In such cases a concise description of the variety intended should 

 accompany the trees. 



Productiveness and quality, as given in the following table, have refer- 

 ence strictly to the crop of the current year. 



