APPENDIX B 



later affected, turn brown and fail to open; the 

 stalk for several inches below the bud is usually 

 killed, turns brown and frequently shows alter- 

 nating stripes or bands of dark and light brown 

 color. When broken ppen, such buds present a 

 dark brown rotten mass. This is the " bud rot " 

 stage of the disease. In a wet season as high as 

 80 or 90 per cent, of the buds may thus be rotted 

 before they can open. Opened flowers are also often 

 affected, becoming discolored and rotten. The 

 rotted buds and flowers soon become covered with 

 the brown felt of the spore stalks and spores of 

 the pathogen. 



The leaves are usually the last to show symp- 

 toms of this disease, in the form of large irregular 

 spots which spread rapidly usually from the apex 

 or sinuses of the leaves. The tissue is killed, be- 

 coming brown and dry, so that it crumples readily. 

 The underside of the spot is soon covered with 

 the spore stalks of the fungus. The blighting of 

 the leaves gives the plants a most untidy appear- 

 ance. The leaf blight form is very common on 

 peony plants everywhere during the latter part 

 of the Summer, becoming veiy bad during rainy 

 weather. In dry seasons the disease is but little 

 in evidence. 



249 



