CURLED LEAF ON THE PEACH TREE. 



THE CURLED LEAF ON THE PEACH TREE. 



BY C. E. GOODRICH, UTICA, N. Y. 



In the culture of peaches here, an evil has been encountered for the last two years, 

 which, so far as I have experience, is new. You are doubtless aware that the elevation of 

 this part of the state, and its distance from large bodies of water, make its climate at best, 

 much cooler than at Buffalo, Albany, and Boston, which lie nearly on the same parallel. 

 Hence the culture of peaches here, at best, is difficult. The evil to which I refer is the 

 "curled leaf." There is a " curled leaf" noticed by Downing, which is described as 

 a trivial evil, and is, by him, ascribed to an insect. But the evil which I am now about 

 to describe is very formidable, and has resulted in my own case, in the almost entire de- 

 struction of the peach crop. I do not know its extent. I have heard of its existence in 

 various oarts of this state and in Ohio. A native of England told me recently that he had 

 seen it there. 



In the spring, of 1845, I planted peach-stones, derived from a source now forgotten, if 

 it was ever ascertained. It would have been wise to assure myself that they were from 

 the north or west, since, both theoretically and practically, such stones are preferable to 

 those brought from the south. Some of these trees were budded with choice varieties, 

 named in the books; others were permitted to produce natural fruit. From the time they 

 began to flower, (in their third and fourth years,) until two years since, the great obsta- 

 cle encountered was the severity of the winter's cold, it being found that the depression 

 of the thermometer to from lO"^ to 15° below zero, for a few days, was pretty sure to de- 

 stroy the vitality of nearly all the fruits buds. For the last two years I have encounter- 

 ed a new evil — the " cuiled leaf." 



The immediate facts in the case are these. Within one week, (sometimes a little less or 

 more,) after the trees are in full bloom, a red color, (at first verj' pale,) is seen upon the 

 young rosettes of leaves. This indication advances rapidly, sometimes over a single branch, 

 but usually over the whole tree, involving from a few leaves to nearly the vvhole of them, 

 according to the severity of the attack. The circulation seems paralyzed, so that the 

 3'oung shoots do not extend themselves; the leaves rapidly thicken, curl up, turn whitish, 

 pale, green, yellow, or almost any color, and acquire three or four times their proper 

 weight, become covered with insects in some cases, and soon drop off, carrying with 

 them whatever fruit had set. After this, in severe cases, the whole or a part of the tree 

 dies; but more commonly new leaves put out, especially from the extremity of the branch- 

 es, and from dormant buds, and soon clothe the whole tree with verdure. In a few cases, 

 more severe still, the tree dies in its first efforts to develop its leaves, which never expand 

 enough to show much curl of the leaf or the red tinge. 



The Cause of the Curled Leaf. — It has been charged to insects, but my microscope, 

 (which is the kind called a " cloth prover,") and is of one inch focal distance, detects 

 none There arc insects seen in the later stages of the evil, among the convolutions of the 

 leaves, but they evidently came there as the}^ seek out other decaying vegetable or animal 

 matter, to find food and a home; and were no how the cause of the curl. 



One thing is obvious to slight observation, that is, that the evil arises from within the 

 bud or tree itself, since the moment the leaves begin to expand, they are seen in many 

 cases to be taking on a sickly state. It should not be forgotten, too, that all this takes 

 at an earlier period than in.sects show themselves to any extent, 

 disease, for such I certainly consider it, is obviously the result of severe and 



