THE PEACH ROSETTE 347 



especially rain followed by heat, favour the spread of the 

 disease, which is always worst on badly drained land. 



Preventive Means. — Rotation of crops appears to be 

 the only known means of holding the pest in check. 

 Members of the grass family should be used as the alter- 

 nating crop, as these are not attacked by the fungus. 



THE PEACH ROSETTE 



A peculiar and very destructive disease attacking peach, 

 plum, and almond trees is described by Dr. Erwin F. 

 Smith as being very prevalent in Georgia. It agrees in 

 some important points with the disease known as peach 

 yellows, which has been investigated by the same author, 

 but differs in the following particulars, which may be con- 

 sidered as furnishing the characteristics of peach rosette : — 



(i) The entire tree is more apt to be attacked all at 

 once, and the disease is more quickly fatal. Trees often 

 die the first year, and I have not heard of any cases living 

 beyond the second season. What corresponds to the first 

 stage of yellows seems to be wanting. 



(2) On the parts attacked many obscure buds and all 

 or most of the winter buds push into diseased growths 

 suddenly in early spring. The primary shoot-axes grow 

 only an inch or two, but send out many short branches. 

 This gives to each growth a compact, tufted form, and to 

 the affected tree a very peculiar appearance, unlike any- 

 thing heretofore described, and much' resembling the work 

 of insects. These stunted, green or yellowish rosettes often 

 form the only foliage of large trees, projecting from the 

 ends of long, naked twigs like leafy galls, or like house 

 leeks tied to the ends of sticks. 



