DISEASES OF PLANTS. 759 



diu'tod extensive experiments in this line, it is reconuuemled that the bushes should 

 be thoroughly sprayed with Bonleaux mixture, the first application to l)e given 

 before the leaves appear, the second as the leaves are unfolding, and thereafter 

 throughout the season it intervals of 10 t(j 14 days until the fruit is two-thirds grown. 

 "Where attacks of currant worm are expected, Paris green or green arsenoid may be 

 advantageously added to Bordeaux mixture. 



Notes from the botanical department, F. C. Stewakt and li. J. Eustace {New 

 York State Sta. Bui. 200, pp. 81-101, ph. 3). — Notes are given on a number of investi- 

 gations conducted by the botanical department during the past year. 



T)-onble with pear trees in a nurseri/ cellar. — Early in 3Iarch the station was requested 

 to investigate a serious trouble among pear trees in the nursery cellar of a 

 Rochester nurseryman. Twenty-tive thousand 3-year-old standard pear trees had 

 been tied in bundles and placed in the cellar in an upright position. The bundles of 

 trees were set in rows and the roots covered with sand after the usual custom. The 

 bark on the trunks and branches of the trees when examined was of normal color 

 and apparently healthy to a height of about 3i- ft., but beyond this the bark was 

 black and many of the branches were dead. This condition prevailed throughout 

 the cellar in a strikingly uniform manner. Upon investigation it was found that 

 during the winter the sand about the roots of the trees froze and remained frozen 

 until February, when the trees were dug out of the frozen sand and packed for ship- 

 ment, ^luch difficulty was experienced in removing the trees from the sand, and it 

 was decided to liuild a fire in the cellar to thaw it. This was done on February 27, 

 and a few days later the trees were observed in the unhealthy condition above 

 described. It appears that the heated air rose to the ceiling, which was unusually 

 tight, and the warm layer of air caused the rapid thawing of the branches resulting 

 in their destruction. The trees were rendered almost useless for wholesale purposes, 

 although many of them which were cut back and sold at retail subsequently developed 

 into good stock. 



Shot-hole fiuigus on cherry fruit pedicels. — The shot-hole fungus ( Ci/lindrosporiunipadi) 

 is more or less prevalent throughout New York, being especially common on the 

 English morello. While examining trees severely attacked by the fungus, the 

 authors observed the fruit pedicels considerably affected. The leaves had fallen so 

 that the trees looked quite bare and the fruit pedicels were so generally atticked that 

 it was difficult to find one which was entirely free from the brown spots. The presence 

 of these spots on the pedicels caused the fruit to ripen unevenly; many of the fruits 

 were dwarfed and some withered without coming to maturity. 



In connection ^\nth the appearance of this fungus on the fruit pedicels, the authors 

 observed a spotting of the green fruits in which numerous small, brown, slightly 

 sunken spots appeared on the fruits at the time they were about the size of peas. 

 The si)ots enlarged as the fruits grew, but there was no tendency to rot. As the 

 cherries began to swell and color in ripening, the spots disappeared, so there was little 

 or no loss from this cause. The cause of this spotting is unknown. 



Authracno.se of yellov) toadflax. — The authors report the occurrence of the anthrac- 

 nose of snapdragon on the common wild yellow toadflax {Linaria vulgaris). While 

 the disease does considerable damage to the weed, it is not thought probable to turn 

 tlie fungus to any practical account as an aid to the eradication of the weed. 



Imperfert fertilization a)id the little peach disease. — During the past season the authors 

 were called to investigate a suspected outbreak of the ' ' little iieach' ' disease. Instead 

 of this di.sease it was found t(j be simply a case of imperfect fertilization. It is com- 

 mon to find unfertilized ix-ach fruits in the spring on trees, but they generally fall 

 early in the season, in what is called the June drop. The unusual feature in the pres- 

 ent ca.se was the persistence of the unfertilized fruit until ripening time, some of 

 them making considerable growth. In the little peach disease ordinarily the pit is 

 of normal size and contains a well-developed kernel, whereas in the present case the 



21164— No. 8—02 5 



