148 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



Among fungous troubles, by all means the most important and most 

 common here in Massachusetts are the quince rusb and the leaf blight 

 or fruit spot. Of these two, according to the writer's observation, 

 the rust is much more common, but when the leaf blight does occur 

 it is apt to do much more damage. The rust attacks both the fruit 

 and the twigs, and at a certain stage, particularly on the fruit, it pro- 

 duces long, thread-like growths over the surface of the affected parts, 

 which are orange in color and very conspicuous. On the twigs it 

 produces knots not unlike the black knot of the plum, though with- 

 out the pimply appearance of surface which the plum knots have. 

 Frequently the fungus works entirely around the branch, causing it 

 to break off. The fungus causing this disease is one of those curious 

 forms which have two stages of growth. One is the disease of the quince 

 we are discussing, and the other is found upon cedar trees. The treat- 

 ment would therefore be to destroy affected cedar trees, at least those 

 near the quince orchard, and to cut off and burn the affected parts of 

 the quince, whether fruit or twigs. Then, in addition, thorough spray- 

 ing with Bordeaux mixture will usually hold it in check. The writer 

 has found that an appUcation early in the spring, shortly after the 

 leaves appear, a second one just before blossoming, and a third just 

 after the blossoms fall will usually almost completely protect the 

 orchard. 



The second disease, the leaf blight or fruit spot, is, as I have said, 

 likely to be more serious than the rust when it does occur. It pro- 

 duces on the leaves small dots, red-brown in color and circular in out- 

 line, which may coalesce so as to form larger irregular spots. In severe 

 cases the leaves turn yellow and drop off, sometimes leaving the tree 

 entirely bare by the last of August. On the fruit it shows as dark- 

 brown sunken areas scattered over the surface. Fortunately, this 

 disease, though serious when allowed to go untreated, is fairly easily 

 controlled by sprayings, and practically the same sprayings given for 

 the rust will give satisfactory results with this disease. 



Among insects there are three which deserve to be mentioned: the 

 codling moth, the borer and the curculio. The codling moth is the 

 same fellow who produces the "wormy" apple, and is to be fought 

 in the same way, viz., by adding arsenate of lead or Paris green to the 

 Bordeaux used just after the blossoms fall. Paris green should be 

 used at the rate of 6 ounces to 50 gallons of Bordeaux, and arsenate of 

 lead at 3 to 4 pounds to the same amount of Bordeaux. 



Borers are usually not troublesome in cultivated orchards, but the 

 trees should be watched, and when they are attacked the borers must 

 be dug out, or a wire run into the burrow till the insect is reached. In 

 sections where borers are likely to be troublesome the trees ought to 

 be examined in late spring and early fall, particularly just at the sur- 

 face of the ground. This will usually be entirely effective in keeping 

 them down. 



