Diseases of the Peach. 237 
much more subject to curl-leaf than others; generally speaking, 
some curl nearly everywhere, others curl in one place and not 
in another, others are practically free from curl in all situations. 
Curl-leaf occurs in various degrees. Mild cases do not seem 
to injure either tree or fruit; severe cases destroy the fruit and 
sometimes the tree itself. ‘lhe disease is almost always at its 
height when the young fruit is about the size of small peas. If 
the curl is “bad,” the fruit will fall to the ground, there not be- 
ing healthy leaves enough to afford the required support. Hi, 
however, the curl is moderate and partial, only a part and some- 
times none of the fruit will be lost. The disease, as is well 
known, is of brief duration, say twelve to twenty days, after 
which the trees resume a healthy appearance in every respect, 
and if the fruit has been able to survive the ordeal, it also ap- 
pears to grow and become as perfect as if no check had been 
given to its growth. 
Mildew.—This disease, which occurs in the form of whitish 
felted patches on leaf and twig early in the spring, and finally 
affects the fruit, has long been troublesome in this State, and 
Characters in the Leaves of Peaches. 
occurs on certain susceptible varieties in many localities from 
the coast to the Sierra foot-hills. Observation in this State has 
fully affirmed the statement of Downing, that the serrate, gland- 
less-leaved varieties are liable, and those with good glands on 
the leaf stems are free. 
The conclusion would be that where mildew prevails, varie- 
ties with serrate, glandless leaves should be avoided. But it has 
