1911.] rUBLlC DOCUMENT — No. 31. 1(33 



Huwcrs. This rapidly spreads until it aliects the whole flower, 

 and frequently extends into the pedicles. These diseased flow- 

 ers often remain on the tree several weeks, until a heavy rain 

 or damp weather comes, when they begin to fall, and as they 

 are very sticky, owing to their decaying condition, they adhere 

 very eftectively to leaves and fruit, and serve as a new place of 

 infection. They nuiy remain in these new locations for some 

 time before they are washed to the ground. When the fungus 

 from the flower penetrates the i)edicle. we have w^hat is com- 

 monly called "• twig blight." 



On the Ticigfi. — One form in which the fungus attacks the 

 twigs is connnonly known as twig blight, and it is apparently a 

 result of the early attacks on the blossoms. I have noticed it 

 attacking both the peach and plum, but more often the former. 

 The fungus penetrates the pedicle and into the tissues of the 

 twig, causing a flow of gum. This fungus often works around 

 the entire stem, cutting ofl" all source of nourishment from the 

 distal portion of the twig, causing it to die. The gummy por- 

 tions and girdling resend)lo quite closely the symptoms of an- 

 other disease, known as canker. In summer and early fall, as 

 well as in spring, we often find this blighting of twigs, the 

 source of infection being the fungus from the decaying fruit. 

 This bores through the pedicle and then ramifies through the 

 stem, often girdling it, as in the case of the blight, where the 

 source of infection was the flowers. The injury in both cases 

 nearly always is confined to a point near the attachment of the 

 fruit or flowers. When the girdling is complete the leaves 

 l)(\vond the point of attack dry up and die. 



Another form in which I have noticed it might be called the 

 " brown spotting of twigs." This phase of the disease has been 

 descril)ed by Dr. G. E. Stone of the IMassachusetts Agricultiu-al 

 College. The spotting occurs on the new shoots, and was not 

 noticed except in the ease of the peach. These spots may be 

 single, or several may come together, forming a more or less 

 irregular mass. In these spots we find Monilia, which presents 

 similar characteristics to the one found on the fruit. The prin- 

 cipal distinction between this and the common Monilia of the 

 fruit consists in the smaller spores of the former. !N'umerous 



