DISEASES, INSECTS, AND ENEMIES. 267 



the simplest and best means of protecting the boles of peach trees from 

 sunstroke. 



VI.— Root Gout. 



This is a peonHar disease, and is rather common in many districts. 

 The roots, instead of being smooth and even, tapering regularly from 

 their thickest to their smallest extremities, are studded with a 

 number of irregular developments in the form of warty-like knots and 

 swollen rings associated with these protuberances ; these are often rusty 

 or oankered-looking spots of a reddish colour. Such roots are also 

 brittle, and as unlike as can be to ordinary healthy roots. These 

 swellings not seldom produce clusters of adventitous buds, that send up 

 or out crops of suckers. Hence this species of root swelling or gont 

 under ground mostly has its counterpart in a crop of suckers above 

 ground. 



This state of root is not seldom caused or aggravated by the careless 

 digging, cropping, and manuring of the borders. Euptured roots run 

 into this distorted state, and rank manures seem to blister the bark of the 

 root and lead to these swellings and distortions. Where, however, this 

 state of root is found apart from these causes, probably the soil will be 

 found unsuitable. These trees should be taken up, and the worst of the 

 roots carefully dressed off and replanted in fresh soil ; or, if the trees are 

 very bad, it will be wiser to destroy them, remove the soil bodily, replace 

 with different and better, and replant with maiden trees. 



VII. — Root Fungus. 



This is a very troublesome disease. The mycelium uf some fungus, 

 not always the same, gets introduced into the border with leaf mould 

 or manure, and also sometimes with the loam, and it fastens npon, 

 overruns, weakens, or kills the whole of the roots. No doubt, too, this 

 fungus is often bred, as it were, in the border by excessive dryness. 

 These myceliums have such a strong affinity for peach roots and prove so 

 destructive to the trees, that no leaf mould of any sort and no manure 

 should.be used in the composition' of the borders. Drought, the great 

 originating cause of such developments, should also be carefully 

 guarded against. The best and only remedy for this root fungus is 

 flooding out. A succession of liberal floodinga will destroy it, and 



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