322 THE FRUIT PLANTATION 



and streaks running from the pit to the outside of the 

 fruit, and in the development of short, weak shoots late 

 in the fall from buds that should remain dormant until 

 spring. The leaves are small and light yellowish green 

 in color. The following year tufts of wiry branches are 

 developed in the crotches of the trees and often from the 

 large branches (Fig. 216), and the tree generally dies dur- 

 ing the second or third year. 



Curl-leaf (Fig. 217) is also troublesome in cold, wet 

 springs, causing a thickening and folding of the leaves, 

 and often resulting in the defoliation of the trees. It is 

 a fungous disease, but is seldom troublesome when the 

 weather in May and June is warm and dry. If the attack 

 is severe, most, if not all of the fruit, will drop from the 

 trees. Generally, the tree recuperates, and the disease 

 is seldom serious in two succeeding years. Its attack can 

 be prevented if the trees are thoroughly sprayed with 

 Bordeaux mixture before growth starts, again after the 

 blossoms have fallen, and a third time in about ten days. 

 The material should be made of full strength, and double 

 the amount of lime commonly used would be desirable, 

 and to be effectual it should be thoroughly applied to all 

 parts of the trees before the disease has attacked the 

 leaves. Peach trees are often injured by spraying. 



The peach is also subject to the attack of brown -rot, cur- 

 culio (page 318), and shot-hole fungus. The borer of the 

 peach is often very destructive, and the trees should be ex- 

 amined in June, and again in October, for its presence. 

 Scrubbing the trunks of the trees about the middle of 

 June in the northern states, and one or two months earlier 

 in the South, with the wash recommended for the apple 

 tree borer, may lessen the danger of their attack. 



The black peach aphis is very numerous in some sec- 

 tions, and will quickly destroy young trees. They suck 

 the sap from the roots of the trees, but appear above 

 ground during the summer. They can be destroyed on 



