128 PEACH CULTURE. 



CHAPTER XXVI. 



INSECTS AND DISEASES. 



But little is yet settled in regard to diseases of the 

 peach. Is it really subject to any inherent disease, or 

 are its maladies accidental ; that is, superinduced by ex- 

 traneous causes? We incline to the latter opinion. 

 Most of them we know are ; and we are not certain 

 that any are not. The Yellows is the only known 

 one of which we doubt ; and about it very little is knOwn 

 either as to origin or treatment. It is generally regarded 

 as incurable, and eradication is the only remedy recom- 

 mended. Cultivators should observe closely, experiment 

 extensively, and report fully. In this way more reliable 

 data will be obtained, and, it is hoped, a remedy dis- 

 covered. 



THE BORER. 



The Borer (/Egeria exitiosd), is the most common, as it 

 is the most troublesome enemy of the peach on the Peninsu- 

 la; and yet, if looked after in time, it is very easily subdued, 

 and need in no wise seriously interfere with cultivation. 

 But, if allowed to intrench itself in our orchards, it will 

 not only require time and labor to rout it, but even this 

 will only be effected by constant vigilance and with con- 

 siderable loss. Hence, the planter should never permit 

 it to obtain a footing in his young orchard, but upon 

 its first appearance destroy it utterly. To exclude 

 the borer, he has only to carefully examine his trees every 

 spring and fall, and wherever he finds one, destroy it. If 

 this rule is strictly followed, his labor will be very light, 

 and his trees will never be permanently injured. But if 

 he neglects this, as is so often the case, until the borer if* 



