100 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. 



Artotrogus debaryanus, II esse). The disease occurs iu the 

 hot-bed or greenhouse, and rots off the young seedlings 

 near the surface of the ground. The tissues are weak- 

 ened by the attack of the fungus, and the plant falls to 

 the ground. A number of fungi are also responsible for 

 this trouble, and great encouragement is given to them 

 in making the attack by the damp condition of the soil, 

 the high temperature and the humid atmosphere. 



In the case of seed beds and greenhouses the remedy 

 is to change the soil and ventilate, and transplant only 

 the healthy plants. Do not water to excess. 



Exoascus deformans (Brek.), Fuckel, Peach leaf curl; 

 Exoascus pruni, Fuckel, Plum pockets. The peach leaf 

 curl is caused by the attack of a fungus wdiich makes the 

 leaves drop early in the summer, and if the disease is 

 very severe the entire foliage may fall, followed by the 

 fruit. The fungus seems to be developed just after a cold, 

 w r et period before the leaves put forth. The curling of the 

 leaf is due to the growth of the mycelium in the tissues, 

 and the spores give the surface a mealy cast. The fungus 

 remains in the fallen leaves and branches through the win- 

 ter, ready to renew T the attack at the opening of the spring. 



The remedy recommended by some experimenters is 

 to prune back the twigs and spray with Bordeaux mix- 

 ture before the buds appear, repeating the operation 

 after the trees are out of bloom and again at the end of 

 two weeks. In the use of the Bordeaux mixture care 

 must be taken to have an excess of lime in the mixture, 

 so as to prevent injury to the leaves. 



The plum pockets are the diseased fruits on the plum 

 tree. The mycelium pass the winter in the fruit-bearing 

 branches, and as soon as the ovaries appear in the spring 

 the fungus enters them and stimulates them so that the 

 plum becomes enlarged and the tissues dry up and as- 

 sume a spongy cast. 



