FORTY-FIRST ANNUAL REPORT. 165 



be allowed to blossom as it is believed the disease is spread by insects 

 at that time. Both old and young- trees of all varieties of peaches and 

 probably all varieties of Ja])anese plums are susceptible to the two dis- 

 eases. Both diseases may be present in a tree at the same time. 



Peach Yellows. The first symptoms in a young tree, previous to 

 bearing, are indicated by the leaves of one or two limbs turning from 

 a rich dark green to a "yellowish green or reddish rusty green" color; 

 this is accompanied by a rolling of the leaves from their edges. These 

 leaves ripen and fall earlier than normal leaves. The fruit buds are 

 larger and more nuiture in appearance and in the spring will invariably 

 bloom earlier than healthy buds. In some instances, the symptoms are 

 not confined to one or two branches, but man3' of the leaves in the 

 center of the tree turn yellowish or light green, roll slightly from their 

 edges and droop considerabl}'. These latter symptoms are often present 

 in cases of '"Little Peach." 



Upon bearing trees, there may be any one or all of the following 

 symptoms : the fruit may ripen prematurely — one to three weeks — upon 

 one or two branches or over the entire tree. The fruit may have numerous 

 red spots on the surface, the spots sometimes extending in red streaks 

 partially or wholly through the flesh to the pit. Often the flesh, about the 

 pit, is full of radiating streaks of red. The surface of the fruit may 

 be smooth or considerably roughened and the flesh more or less stringy 

 and very insipid. The leaves may be yellowish pale or reddish rusty 

 green in color, usually rolling and drooping. In advanced stages, 

 numerous finely branched shoots bearing many slender sickly leaves, 

 appear on the trunk or main limbs and sometimes in the extremities 

 of the branches, Fiiialli/ the tree dies. 



Winter injury to the bark of the trunk or main limbs, mechanical in- 

 jury by mice, rabbits, peach borers, cultivators, etc., or a serious lack 

 of moisture or nitrogen in the soil may discolor the foliage and cause 

 premature ripening of fruit and should not be mistaken for "Yellows." 



Little Peach. In "Little Peach," characteristic symptoms are: the 

 leaves of a part or the whole of the tree have a bunched appearance, and 

 are shorter, and broader than normal leaves. They are usually yellowish- 

 green in color with the veins appearing dilated and darker than the in- 

 tervening tissue. The fruit is usually under size and ripens from a week 

 to two weeks late. The flesh is more or less stringy, watery and very 

 insipid w^hile the pit is usually very small. One or all symptoms may 

 be present and unless they can be positively attributed to some other 

 cause, the tree should be condemned, pulled out and burned. 



GENERAL TREATMENT FOR PEARS. 



Inspect for scale insects and if present, spray before the buds start 

 with strong lime-sulphur. The Pear Blister Mite (a mite that causes 

 thickened red and brown spots on the leaves) and the Pear Psylla may 

 also be partially controlled by this spraying for scale. If these pests 

 were serious last year, make the strong lime-sulphur spraying even if 

 not needed for the San Jose scale. 



Apply the Same General Treatment to Pears as is given for apples. 



