150 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



GENERAL TREATMENT FOR PEACHES. . 



Inspect for scale insects, the same as for apple, and spray with strong 

 lime-sulphur wash the same as directed for apple trees. 



If this spraying is made, it will also prevent the leaf-curl disease. If 

 the lime-sulphur spraying is not required, a spraying must be made 

 to prevent the leaf curl which is often especially serious on Elbertas. 

 For this spraying, use Bordeaux mixture or the copper sulphate solu- 

 tion (2 pounds of copper sulphate dissolved in fifty gallons of water). 

 It is very important that this spraying be made before the buds swell. 

 If made after that time, it will not be successful in preventing the leaf 

 curl. 



If the fruit in your orchard is commonly affected with the rot and 

 the scab (the small black specks usually on the upperside) and the 

 curculio ("the insect that stings the fruit") — and most of the peach 

 orchards in Michigan are affected with all of these — make sprayings as 

 follows : 



Just After the Blossoms Drop and Most of the "Shucks" Have 

 Fallen off, spray with poison, using 2 pounds of arsenate of lead in 

 every 50 gallons of water. 



(See under arsenate of lead page 164.) 



Never use any arsenical other than arsenate of lead, on peach. 



Two Weeks After the Previous Spraying, another must be made. 

 This time use the self-boiled lime-sulphur and to every 50 gallons add 

 2 pounds of arsenate of lead. The dilute lime-sulphur has not been 

 generally satisfactory on peaches. Even when very dilute some burning 

 of the foilage has resulted. 



About One Month Before the Fruit Ripens, spray again and the 

 same as directed above. 



In orchards where the curculio is not present or not serious, the spray- 

 ing recommended "Just after the blossoms fall" can be omitted. 



Self-boiled lime-sulphur settles rapidly, so keep well agitated and do 

 not add the arsenate of lead until just before spraying. Use fine nozzles 

 and give the trees a uniform coating of a mist-like spray. 



Peach Tree Borer. Dig out by hand early in spring or late in fall 

 at points where gumming shows. Sterilize knife with carbolic acid to 

 prevent spreading crown gall which may be present. 



"peach yellows" and "little peach." 



These two diseases are extremely infectious and very difficult to 

 positively identify. Their causes are unknown and the only method of 

 control is destruction of the tree — fruit, root and branch — as soon as 

 discovered. It is especially important that diseased trees should not 

 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 Japanese plums are susceptible to the two dis- 

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



