Fig. 1884 



t L(j. 1085. 



THE PREVENTION OF LEAF CURL 



of experiments 

 ^ this evil of 



,ORNELL Bull., No. 180, gives results 

 trying- to control 

 the peach tree. These 

 tests were made in 1899, and the varieties 

 treated were Elberta, Crawford, Hill's Chili, 

 Brigden, Mountain Rose, etc. 



Murill, the experimenter, gives the follow- 

 ing as his conclusions : 



There is no good reason for giving up the 

 Elberta or any other variety of peach sensi- 

 tive to leaf-curl, as the disease can be con- 

 trolled by spraying at trifling expense. 



Of the three substances employed as 

 fungicides in these experiments, the Bor- 

 deaux mixture is the most useful ; and, 

 though several different strengths of this 

 mixture have been found nearly equal in 

 efficiency the past season, for the early 

 spraying a strong solution is recommended. 

 When Bordeaux of good strength is used 

 early and a season of warm, dry weather 

 follows, continued as late as the middle of 

 May, a second spraying is not profitable ; 

 but if the weather is cold and wet, it is well 

 to spray again with Bordeaux after the 

 petals fall, using only two pounds of copper 

 sulphate (with excess of lime) to fifty gallons 

 of water, for, notwithstanding some state- 

 ments to the contrary, the foliage of the 

 peach seems sensitive to stronger solutions. 



The treatment, then for the prevention of 

 peach-leaf curl based upon my own and 

 other experiments is briefly as follows : 



1. Spray with Bordeaux consisting of 6 

 lbs. of copper sulphate, 4 lbs. of good quick- 

 lime, and 50 gals, of water about the first of 

 April, when the buds are beginning to swell. 



2. Spray again when the petals have 



fallen with Bordeaux consisting of 2 lbs. of 

 copper sulphate, 2 lbs. of good quick-lime, 

 and 50 gals, of water. It the weather of 

 April and early May is warm and dry, this 

 second spraying may be omitted. 



Lime or copper sulphate alone with water 

 have been almost as effective as Bordeaux 

 the past season when used for the first 

 spraying and followed later by Bordeaux, 

 but their effects are not so lasting; particu- 

 larly in rainy weather, and, whether the 

 season is favorable or unfavorable, the 

 second spraying with Bordeaux should not 

 be omitted when lime or copper sulphate are 

 used alone for the first. 



At the Oh'to Agricultural Experimental 

 Station, investigations of plant diseases 

 have been carried on since 1891, beginning 

 with apple scab, and extending over various 

 other fungi. Since 1895, experiments were 

 tried with the object of checking the curl ot 

 the peach, and in 1897 a considerable por- 

 tion of the foliage of the peach trees was 

 saved, and in 1898 it was conclusively shown 

 that Bordeaux mixture was most effective 

 against leaf curl. 



Our readers in Ontario who are peach 

 growers will be especially interested in these 

 two illustrations, because of the importance 

 of the Elberta as a market peach, which has 

 often shown itself so susceptible to leaf curl 

 that the crop has been spoiled for the sea- 

 son.* But if we can depend upon spraying 

 to keep this fungus in check, we may con- 

 tinue planting this variety with confidence. 



