INSECTS, FUNGI, PLANT DISEASES, ETC. 165 



the tree with which they come in contact; many fall upon 

 the leaves and young fruit and become so firmly attached 

 that no ordinary rain or wind will remove them. Careful 

 experiments have shown that the rotting flowers are 

 highly infectious, and that wherever they touch the 

 leaves or fruit decay sets in.. 



" On the leaves the presence of the fungus is first made 

 manifest by a slight discoloration of the tissue around 

 the point of infection; this gradually enlarges, and at the 

 same time the normal healthy green color changes to a 

 reddish-brown. . . During wet weather the spots on 

 the upper surface of the leaf are frequently studded with 

 little tufts of fungus; these have a mealy or pulverulent 

 appearance, and are easily washed off by the rains or 

 removed by the wind. 



"As in the case of the leaves, the fruit is often infected 

 by means of the diseased flowers. At first there appears 

 a brownish circular spot on one side of the cherry; this 

 rapidly enlarges and soon the entire fruit becomes brown, 

 shrunken, and soft. Ultimately the fruit stalk is attacked 

 aud finally the whole either falls to the ground and dries 

 up, or remains hanging on the tree throughout the sum- 

 mer, or uutil the following spring. The fruit is often 

 covered with tufts of the fungus similar to those occur- 

 ring upon the leaves, and while in this condition they 

 are highly infectious, causing all the fruit with which 

 they come in contact to rot." 



The remedy recommended is spraying with Bordeaux 

 mixture just before the blossoms open, again just after 

 the blossoms fall, and about ten days after with another 

 spraying of the Bordeaux mixture. Some doubt the 

 entire efficiency of spraying, and its advisability is an 

 open question. Precaution must be exercised in its use, 

 particularly with the peach, which is so liable to inuiry 

 from the chemicals. 



