522 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



5% lysol after tiiiisliiiiy; with each tree, in order to prevent the spreadinji 

 of crown-gall which is often present. Careful experiments made, both 

 here and elsewhere, have failed to produce any other treatment that 

 actually pays for the cost of application. In order to facilitate the re- 

 moval of the larvaj or "worms," many growers practice mounding or 

 DrrcHiNG. It seems to be of advantage to change the level of the soil 

 around the base of the tree, either raising the level by making a mound 

 of which the tree is the center, or lowering the level by digging away the 

 soil in June and allowing the soil to be worked back by cultivation. Un- 

 doubtedly it is easier to pull away the mound to expose the injured 

 crown than to dig out the soil. The mound is later replaced after the 

 wounds have dried. On the other hand, most growers that do not mound, 

 do leave the soil out of the pit dug around the base of the tree in "worm- 

 ing" until it tills during the summer, thus allowing time for the sun to 

 dry the wounds and toughen the surface. There is also present in Miclii- 

 gan the Lesser Peach-borer, which works more in the body and limbs, 

 and the upper part of the tree. 



Peach Yellows. A very infectious disease the cause of which is un- 

 known. — The first symptoms in a young tree previous to bearing, are indi- 

 cated by the leaves of one or two limbs turning from a rich dark green to a 

 "yellowish-green or reddish rusty-green" color; this is accomj)auied by a 

 rolling of the leaves from their edges. These leaves ripen and fall earlier 

 than normal leaves. The fruit-beds are larger and more mature in ap- 

 pearance and in the spring will invariably bloom earlier than healthy 

 buds. In some instances, the symptoms are not confined to one or two 

 branches, but many of the leaves in the center of the tree turn yellowish or 

 light-green, roll slightly at their edges and droop considerably. These 

 later symptoms are often present in case of "Little Peach." 



Upon bearing trees, there may be any one or all of the following symp- 

 toms : The fruit may ripen prematurely — one to three weeks — upon one or 

 two branches or over the entire tree. The fruit may have numerous 

 red spots on the surface, the spots sometimes extending in red streaks 

 l)artially or wholly through the flesh to the pit. Often the flesh, about 

 the pit, is full of radiating streaks of red. The surface of the fruit may 

 1)6 smooth or considerably roughened and tlie flesh more or less stringy 

 and very insipid. The leaves may be yellowish pale or reddisli rustj^-green 

 in color, usually rolling and drooping. In advanced stages, numerous 

 finely branched shoots bearing many slender, sickly leaves, appear on- 

 ihe trunk or main limbs and sometimes near the ends of the branches. 

 Finally the tree dies. 



Winter injury to the bark of the trunk or main limbs, mechanical injury 

 by mice, rabbits, peach-borers, cultivators, etc., or a serious lack of mois- 

 ture or nitrogen in the soil may discolor the foliage and cause premature 

 ripening of fruit and should not be mistaken for "Yellows." 



The only method of control is by the destruction of an infected tree — 

 fruit, root and branch — just as soon as discovered. It is especially im- 

 portant that diseased trees should not be allowed to blossom, as it is 

 believed that the disease is spread by insects at that time. 



Little Peach. In "Little Peach," characteristic symptoms are : The 

 leaves of a part or the whole of the tree have a bunched appearance, and 

 are shorter, and broader than normal leaves. They are usually yellowish- 



