748 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD, 



The bulletin closes with a discussion of spray injury and directions for the 

 Iireparation and use of Bordeaux mixture and lime-sulphur sprays. 



Peach yellows and little peach, M. A. Blake {New Jersey Stas. Bui. 226, 

 pp. J-^G, pis. 16). — This is a discussion of the history, prevalence, cause, and 

 characteristics of and remedies for these two diseases, with an appeal to the 

 peach growers of the State to practice clean, intensive orchard methods and to 

 eradicate all affected trees. These diseases are prevalent to some degree 

 throughout the State and neighboring States and are an increasing menace to 

 the future welfare of the peach industry, which is now gaining strength after 

 the severe check due to San Jose scale. 



In the early stages peach yellows is indicated by the leaves of one branch 

 of an apparently healthy tree turning yellowish or reddish-green, rolling up 

 from the edges, and falling early while the remainder of the tree retains its 

 foliage. The fruit buds are longer and further advanced upon the affected limb, 

 while the bark has a riper appearance with noticeably larger lenticels. Instead 

 of these symptoms, the leaves in the center of the tree may turn a light 

 to yellowish-green, roll slightly from the edges toward the midrib and droop 

 downward toward the trunk to some degree This yellowing and rolling 

 may extend well out toward the tips of the branches, and the affected leaves 

 are often shorter and smaller than under normal conditions. Instances have 

 also been observed of young trees the entire foliage of which became slightly 

 yellow during the late fall, followed in the spring by the fruit buds pushing out 

 in advance of the normal ti-ees, the new leaves remaining a yellowish green 

 until finall.v there appear unmistakable symptoms of .vellows. These earlier 

 stages are more difficult to determine in neglected orchards as the foliage of all 

 the trees may l)e off color. T'pon bearing ti'ees yellows ma.v first appear in the 

 premature ripening of fruit upon one branch or over the whole tree, while other- 

 wise the tree may appear healthy. 



Little peach has much the same general characteristics so far as the effects 

 on the leaves are concerned, but causes the fruit to ripen later than normal. 

 It also appears to spread more raindly through an orchard than yellows, and 

 the practice of permitting affected trees to remain increases the danger to young 

 orchards without benefit to the grower in any way. The exact cause of these 

 diseases is still unknown. 



The following suggestions for the prevention and control of the yellows and 

 little peach ai-e given : Select a well drained site for the orchai'd, purchase well 

 grown nursery trees of a medium to large grade, and avoid weak trees and 

 those grown near an infested orchard. Practice good orchard management in 

 the form of proper cultivation and sufficient fertilizers, but do not fertilize to 

 excess, especially with nitrogenous manures. Closely observe the growth of 

 each tree and if symptoms of either disease appear, dig up and burn at once. 

 Trees removed in orchards from 1 to 5 years old ma.v be replaced b.v nursery 

 trees, but in older orchards this replanting is of doubtful value, as the young 

 trees will be retarded in their growth by the surrounding trees. 



The peach leaf curl, G. Gassner (Rev. Asoc. Rural Uruguay, 37 {190S), No. 

 10, pp. 5Jf6-551). — A popular description of this common disease (Exoasctis 

 deformans), with methods of control by the use of Bordeaux mixture, is given. 



A disease of bananas (Jour. Jamaica Agr. Sac., 13 (1909), No. 12, pp. 1/33, 

 Ji3.'i). — It is stated that two serious troubles beset the banana growers of Costa 

 Rica, one due to multitudes of gophers burrowing under the ground and eating 

 away the roots and bulbs until the whole stool falls, and the other apparently 

 a bacterial disease, capable of infecting healthy plants which have replaced 

 diseased ones. A plant which is apparently a cross between the banana and 

 the plantain seems to be immune to this disease. 



