416 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



PEACHES. 



The yield of peaches was lighter this season than any year since 1899, although 

 quite a number of varieties gave full crops of fine-looking fruit. The quality 

 was an improvement over last year, but the season was too cold and wet to allow 

 the devleopment of the highest flavor. As a whole, the trees did not bloom as 

 full as usual except in the tops of the trees, there being but few live buds or 

 blossoms on the lower branches, except upon the hardier varieties. The cold snap 

 of February 17, 18 and 19 evidently did the most damage to the buds. The 

 heavy frosts of April 29 and 30 and the curl leaf which was worse than it had 

 been for years helped also in cutting the crop down to the low limit reached in the 

 fruit belt this year. The varieties that gave full crops were Brown, Barnard, 

 Gold Drop, Grensboro, LaFleur, Lemon Free, Longhurst, Triumph, Red Seed- 

 ling and Willett, with nearly a full crop from Connett, Ford, Switzerland and 

 Crothers. 



SPRAYING. 



The leaf curl was worse last spring than for many years. Reports of damage 

 came from all sections. On the station grounds the fact was again demonstrated 

 that thorough spraying with copper sulphate solution (2 lbs. to 50 gallons of 

 water) will control this disease. The spraying should be done not later than 

 the first week in April as it must be given before the buds swell. Otherwise the 

 spraying is of no value. When the regular spraying was done, one tree each, of 

 June Rose and Brunson, was left unsprayed to note the results. The unsprayed 

 trees showed from fifty to sixty-five per cent of diseased leaves, against from 

 three to five per cent on sprayed trees The varieties reported by different grow- 

 ers as being the worst to curl were Elberta, Lewis and Kalamazoo. The reports 

 from many of the growers who sprayed for curl leaf were not satisfactory as only 

 a few secured good results. Upon inquiry, some admitted that they did not spray 

 very thoroughly, as the disease had not been very bad in the past two or three 

 years, and others who had sprayed in former years did not spray this season 

 for this reason. This accounts for the poor results obtained and the only safe 

 rule in controlling the disease is to spray and spray thoroughly every year. A 

 comparative test was made between Bordeaux mixture and copper sulphate (2 

 pounds to 50 gallons of water). Quite a number of fruit growers who have used 

 both mixtures claim better results from the Bordeaux mixture than with the blue 

 vitriol. Here the results were excellent with both materials and no difference 

 could be seen. To determine the effects of a heavy rain within an hour after spray- 

 ing for curl leaf, the barrel was rinsed out and filled with clear water and one tree 

 each of four varieties. Bishop, Lewis, Ede and Muir was thoroughly drenched, 

 as though there had been a heavy rain. There was no difference in the amount 

 of curl leaf on trees drenched and those not drenched, except a very little upon 

 the Lewis tree. These results show conclusively that the action of the copper 

 sulphate is almost instantaneous in destroying the spores of this fungus and 

 that a heavy rain does not destroy its fungicidal effect for leaf curl. Also, 

 one tree each of four varieties was washed off twenty-four hours after being 

 sprayed and no difference could be detected between the trees washed and un- 

 washed. One tree each of the bearing varieties were sprayed with Bordeaux 

 mixture and arsenic after the fruit had set. Very little rot made its appearance 

 on the early varieties either on trees sprayed or unsprayed, but later in the sea- 

 son the rot was quite bad upon Barnard and Corner, while other varieties had 

 very little. The thinning experiment started last season was brought to an end 

 by the frosts as none of the varieties in the test had a sufficiently heavy crop to 

 require thinning. 



Notes on Varieties. 



Advance — Received from and originated by C. Engle of Paw Paw, Mich. Of 

 medium to large size; color white with a red cheek; quite firm; quality good. 

 Ripe August 10th. Not sufTicientiy productive to be recommended; semi-cling. 



Allen — Resembles Jacques Rarerii^e. Of large size and good quality, but less 

 productive than that variety. 



