DISEASES OF THE PEACH TREE. 



The disease, as exhibited here, is not owing to the winter, or the changes of temperature 

 Trees on the east or south wall of a house, which would be more liable to suffer from such 

 causes, uniformly escape, whatever the character of the leaves. 



Tn addition to the s3'niptoms mentioned by your correspondent, if the disease with him 

 is the same as with us — if he will go into his peach orchard in winter, and examine the 

 last years' wood — he will find, principally near the base of the branch, blotches or warts 

 varying in size from one-eighth to one-quarter of an inch in diameter. The smaller blotches 

 are generally round, and unbroken mostly, and looking like a blister or burn — the larger 

 ones generally eliptical in form — the bark within the elipse entirely gone, and the woody 

 parts bulged out, and sometimes slightly gummed. These blotches are frequently upon, 

 and sometimes just under the bud — more frequently, however, on the branch between the 

 buds. Tf your correspondent will again go into his orchard in the spring, shortly after the 

 leaves have expanded, and the blossoms fallen, he Avill find, with the exception of those 

 buds which have the blotches on or under them — the whole branch covered with the most 

 luxuriant vegetation — the blotches, however, will be seen, as the season advances, to be 

 gradually extending themselves in size, and those branches having many, or large ones^ 

 round the base of the stem, will be gradually encircled by a ring of dead bark; as soon as 

 this happens, the leaves and branch beyond, all die. This occurs about the time that the 

 curled leaves have dropped from the trees. After this, those trees which have not died, 

 put forth fresh leaves, and make a healthy growth until the end of the season. When the 

 months of July or August have arrived, (the precise time I have omitted to note,) if your 

 corresponrlent will examine closely the wood of the current year, in places corresponding 

 to those where he now finds the blotches above referred to — he will find pieces taken out 

 of the young wood, as if eaten or bitten out; and if he will watch these punctures, he will 

 find them gradually assume the appearance of those blotches which are now wanting bark. 



If opened with a knife at this present time, by slight and successive slices, the outer 

 blotch removed, presents a slightly discolored surface, which increases to the center of the 

 branch, extending frequently up the branch a considerable distance, and accompanied, 

 near the exterior surfocc, with a black line, similar to that seen in the plum knot — below 

 the blotch; frequently the wood in the center is not discolored, and at some distance above 

 presents the same healthy appearance. 



Looking at this present time along the wood of two or three years growth, he will find 

 the same eliptical shaped marks, indicating where the same injury has been inflicted for 

 successive years. 



Should your correspondent find the marks which I have hastily and imperfectly de- 

 scribed, I suggest whether — 



1. It may not be the puncture of an insect, and the blotch the nest for its young. 



2. Whether the curl is not the old and long known disease mentioned and described by 

 all authors, and particularly in Downing's work. 



3. AVhethcr amongst the remedies, the knife is not the most certain, and the time, at the 

 aimual shortening. 



4. Whether the serrated leaf trees should not be wholly abandoned, and their place 

 supplied with trees having glanded leaves. T have myself, almost entirely abandoned the 

 cultivation of all trees having serrated leaves. 



I have omitted to state, that in the spring, about the time the branch dies, the punctur- 

 ed part gums after a rain, as also the old blotches in the older wood. 



Again, here, if the disease is permitted to progress, the trees surely die. I have seen 

 many trees that have knots upon them almost as large as those on the plum. 



