512 STATE BOARD OP AGRICULTURE. 



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. Finally/ 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 while 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 peste 

 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. 

 If the dilute lime-sulphur is used, it should not be as strong as for apples 

 (see dilution table on last page). 



Pear Blight or Fire Blight was very serious last season in many parts 

 of the state. It is easily noticed, a branch dies back from the tip, leaves 

 turn brown, wither but do not drop. Is caused by a germ that works 

 within the tAvig and hence spraying is not a preventative. It usually is 

 more serious in rapidly growing trees and for this reason, many pear 

 orchards are left in sod. Cut out the diseased twigs and branches. 

 Make a frequent and systematic inspection of every tree and cut out 

 every diseased twig and branch found. Out several inches below where 

 the wood appears to be dead. Carry the dead portion out of the orchard 

 and bury or burn. After every cut, wipe off the wound with a cloth 

 or sponge moistened with a 5% carbolic acid solution. 



If slugs appear, spray with an arsenical, if not too near ripening of 

 fruit to be dangerous. In case of early pears fresh hydrated lime may 

 be dusted on. 



