PESTS 



11 



White Root Rot {Rosellinia necatrix). — Several fungi 

 of this description attack the roots of apple and other 

 trees. In the first year of the attack the leaves wilt, 

 turn yellow and fall early ; in the second year, these 

 phenomena become aggravated, and there is often a 

 heavy crop of useless fruit ; whilst, in the third year, the 

 tree generally dies. The roots will be found covered 

 with a white downy fungus, some threads of which 

 pass up between the bark and wood of the stem, 

 whilst others spread in the soil, seeking fresh trees to 

 attack. The fruit of the fungus appears only on the 

 dead wood, and consists of minute black beads, which 

 may be found in masses between the bark and wood. 



Remedies. — Clear away the earth from the roots 

 in autumn, sprinkle them with flowers of sulphur, 

 and mix quicklime or gas-lime with the soil before 

 replacing it. 



Brown Rot of Fruit {Selerotinia fructigend). — This 

 is a fungus which attacks apples, pears, plums, cherries, 

 peaches, etc. It first attacks the leaves, the fructifi- 

 cation of it appearing on the upper surface of these, 

 forming thin, velvety olive-green patches : the fruit 

 is next attacked, scattered brownish patches appear- 

 ing on the skin, followed by a grov/th of dull grey 

 tufts, which arrange themselves in concentric rings, 

 like fairy-rings. The fruit does not develop properly, 

 and becomes hard and mummified, often hanging on 

 the trees till the following spring or summer. Apples 

 which have been attacked by the Apple Sawfly also 

 often hang on until spring, but may be distinguished 

 from those suffering from brown rot by having round 



