THE DISEASES OF FRUITS. 



225 



by the premature ripening of the fruit which, enlarging to 

 more than the normal size, takes on an unnatural spotting of 

 purplish and red, with the flesh streaked with pink. The 

 fruit when apparently mature is bitter in taste and worthless. 

 This " forcing," as it is sometimes called, may be confined to a 



FIG. 285. A four-year-old Peach-tree, with yellows showing as " brooms' 

 " pennyroyal sprouts " upon the main branches. (From Smith.) 



few fruits upon the tree or a single branch ; but when at its 

 worst the whole crop is highly colored, full-sized, and soft 

 some weeks before the natural time for maturing. 



The trees show the disease even before they come into bear- 

 ing, and of course in years when there is no fruit other char- 

 acteristics than the prematuring need to be considered. The 

 yellows is recognized in the tree itself by the presence of small 

 shoots that spring from the main branches and bear long, nar- 

 15 



