204 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



terval ; if not, the longer period, with Bordeaux alone ; 

 fourth^ in from two to four weeks spray again with last 

 mixture ; fifth, just as the fruit begins to color, with the 

 ammoniacal carbonate of copper. 



The hlack aj)his (^Mt/zus cerasi) is destroyed by thd kero- 

 sene emulsion, formula (a), applied with all the force possi- 

 ble to get it in among them on the curled inside of the leaves. 



The yellows is a disease the nature of which has for a long 

 time baffled the investigations of scientists and the skill of 

 the practical growers. The summary of all the reports as 

 to the nature of this disease is about this, — "We don't 

 know." We do know, however, that under certain condi- 

 tions our peach trees have a sickly yellow color, the fruit 

 ripens prematurely, is highly colored and often of a bitter 

 taste. Small wiry shoots start out in clusters on the trunk 

 or branches, and the tree finally dies. 



No specific fungous growth or bacterial germs have been 

 proved to be the cause of these conditions ; but the disease 

 , may be brought on by exhaustion of the soil, by over- 

 bearing, by poor cultivation, by injury from the winter, and 

 the peach borer. When taken in time, the trees may be 

 saved by good cultivation, proper fertilization and pruning. 

 It may not be profitable to undertake this remedy ; and the 

 "heroic treatment," that of digging up and burning all dis- 

 eased trees as soon as they show advanced stages, is proba- 

 bly the safest and best. This remedy is made compulsory 

 by law in several of the States of the Union. Young trees 

 cost but little, and will grow to produce fruit in Massachu- 

 setts in from three to five years. 



The Grape. 

 The only insect seriously injurious to the gTape is the ro.se 

 hug or rose chaffer (^Macrodactylus snbsjjinosa). This in- 

 sect is known to every one who cultivates the rose. It lays 

 its e^irs in the eround during the month of June. These 

 eggs hatch and, feed upon the young, tender roots of vari- 

 ous kinds which it finds in the soil, makes a cocoon and 

 comes out a perfect insect the following summer. It appears 

 just at the time the grape blossoms open, and they are found 

 in pairs feeding on the leaves or blossoms, but preferriug the 

 latter. 



