16 PEACH LEAF CUEL: ITS NATURE AND TREATMENT. 



the development of the fungus begins, so that in June all leaves at the 

 ends of the joung branches are curled and deformed and perhaps all 

 the blossom buds fall off. If the more developed leaves at the base of 

 the young shoots prove more resistant to the fungous action, then fresh 

 shoots are formed in June, even if not in normal condition, but yet 

 somewhat healthy, so that the tree remains intact. In the more pro- 

 tected hill regions of the vineyards, at the foothills of the Carpathian 

 Mountains, this disease is also troublesome, but less intense than in 

 other parts of the country. 



Peach leaf curl exists in South Africa, and probably also throughout 

 Algeria and other peach-growing portions of the continent. Professor 

 MacOwan, of the department of agriculture of Cape Colon}", has 

 written of the disease in South Africa, giving his views as to the 

 proper manner of treating the same. ^ He also writes that it is "a 

 great plague at the Cape. " ^ 



A peach grower of Dr3^sdale, Frere, Natal, in writing to the Cape 

 Colon}" agricultural department under date of October 31, 1893, says 

 that he has a good many peach trees of the yellow, white, and St. 

 Helena varieties, and that they are all affected with the discolored and 

 curled-up leaves characteristic of this disease; that several of his neigh- 

 bors are complaining that their peach trees are suffering like his; and 

 that the disease seems to be spreading. The young trees were simi- 

 larly affected. ^ 



Perhaps no foreign country has suffered more from peach leaf curl 

 than New Zealand. Mr. W. ]\I. Maskell, of Wellington, writes as 

 follows : * '• The curly blight has been for many years prevalent in this 

 country — so much so that whereas in the early days peaches were exceed- 

 ingly luxuriant and line, they have dwindled to comparatively very 

 small and poor trees and in many parts of the colony almost died out. 

 In the last two or three years the people have been advised to employ 

 remedies, and have done so to some extent, so that there is a marked 

 improvement in the peach orchards. * * " I can myself recollect, 

 early in the sixties, when the most splendid peaches used to grow 

 wild in the warm northern districts, where now scarcely a tree is 

 seen; and the curly blighthas been a dreadful curse all over the colony." 



Australians report peach leaf curl among their serious plant dis- 

 eases. In South Australia it '"has been known quite twenty years,"' "^ 

 and probably longer, and occasions consideral)le losses in seasons 

 favoring it. The situation is much the same in New South Wales. 



' MacOwaii, Prof. P., Agricultural Journal, published by the department of 

 agriculture of Cape Colony, 1892, Vol. V, pp. 252, 253. 



- Letter dated Cape Town, Oct. 26, 1895. 



•* Agricultural .Journal, Cape Colony, Vol. VI, No. 23, p. 451. 



•* Letter dated Wellington, Xew Zealand, Deceml>er24, 1895. 



^Observations of Mr. A. ^lolineux, general secretary for the agricultural bureau 

 of South Australia, letter dated Adelaide, February 11, 1895. 



