370 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



well as in nursery catalogues, as of fine flavor. If, however, the plants 

 tested here fairly represent the variety thus praised, the least that can be 

 said of it is, that it is one of the most arrant swindles ever imposed upon 

 the public. The difference brtweeen P. Besseyi and P. Pumila being 

 slight, we may have received the latter by mistake or otherwise. 



PJIUNUS MAHALEB. 



Mahaleb, European Bird cherry, is used extensively as a stock on 

 which improved varieties are worked. It has fruited here for two years 

 past. The European name would seem to be appropriate for this country 

 also, since, although it fruited abundantly the past season, we were not 

 able to get even a taste of ripe fruit, but all were taken by birds while 

 yet immature. 



PEACHES— Primus or Amygdalus. 



Doubtless as a result of continuous reproduction and cultivation in dif- 

 ferent soils and climates, the peach has sported into strains or races, each 

 more especially successful in its accustomed climate or soil. 



Of these the Peen-to race is mainly confined to the extreme south, and 

 is followed, as we pass northward, by the Honey race, the Spanish, the 

 Persian, the Oriental Blood, and the North Chinese races. 



Among these the Persian race is mainly popular from central Georgia 

 and Texas northward, with, quite recently, an occasional North. Chinese 

 variety on trial. 



While at the extreme south, these distinctions become important in a 

 choice of varieties to be planted, these races have now become so inter- 

 mixed or hybridized by cross- fertilization that many such cross-bred 

 varieties are found successful and more or less popular even at the north. 



Since, therefore, the question of race must depend upon a knowledge 

 of the history of each variety, rather than upon any distinctive peculiarity 

 of either tree or fruit, it seems better that all attempt at such classifica- 

 tion be omitted. 



The past season, throughout, has been later than usual, and, as hereto- 

 fore, the pruning has been done while growth was yet dormant, the prun- 

 ing of peaches having been completed on April 20th. 



Completed the early spraying of peaches on April 1 5th, using one 

 pound of copper sulphate in twenty-five gallons of water. Such spray 

 has, in previous seasons, proved an effectual preventive of leaf curl, 

 Taphrina deformans; but, for some unexplained reason, due probably to 

 unusual weather conditions, it failed of the usual effect, the "curl" being 

 very prevalent, alike upon sprayed trees and those not sprayed. 



May 17th examined peach trees for borers, the larvre of JEgcria exitiosa, 

 finding a few only. 



May 19th to 21st, applied a coating of whitewash to the trunks and large 

 branches of peach trees, as a means of preventing a deposit of the eggs of 

 the pin-borer which, during the last two or three years, has proved to be a 

 serious and even fatal enemy of the peach tree in this vicinity. Such appli- 

 cation is so far merely experimental, since there are no precedents as 

 guides to the treatment of this insect. The mixture used was milk of lime 

 with a little crude carbolic acid; the whole thickened with hard soap to 



