272 THE STONE FRUITS 



Eradicating the curculio by adding arsenate of lead to the 

 spray mixture is also recommended. 



Peach Leaf Curl. — The peach leaf curl is a peculiar disease 

 that causes the leaves to curl up in all kind of shapes. It is 

 caused by a fungous growth. This disease appears peri- 

 odically and perhaps the weather conditions controls its 

 appearance to a certain extent. Damp, cold springs favor 

 its development and the disease is usually worse during such 

 years. 



The loss due to the peach leaf curl is hard to estimate, but 

 authorities are agreed that it reaches into the millions of 

 dollars each year. 



The peach leaf curl can be largely controlled by the appli- 

 cation of some fungicide, preferably Bordeaux mixture, during 

 the late winter or early spring just prior to the opening of the 

 buds. The application of the fungicide must be thorough, 

 so that all spores are killed as they are produced or as growth 

 starts. 



In addition to the above-mentioned diseases there are 

 several less important ones which are found on the peach, but 

 which are controlled by carefully following out the spraying 

 program. 



INSECTS OF THE PEACH. 



The peach is subject to the attack of several insects, some 

 of which require special means of control. 



Peach Tree Borer. — The peach tree borer is found in every 

 locality where peaches are grown. It is a native insect. The 

 loss due to this insect is millions of dollars every year. 



The adult of the borer is a moth, the male and the female 

 differing widely in color. The male has four transparent 

 wings with a metallic color, while the female has front wings 

 which are opaque while the back wings are opaque only over 

 about one-half of their area, the remaining half being trans- 

 parent. 



The damage to the peach is done by the larva of this insect. 

 The insect passes the winter in the larval state in the trunk 

 of the tree. Some of the smaller worms pass the winter 

 in a small cocoon protected by a mass of gum on the bark. 



