THE PEACH BUD MITE. 109 



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scarcity of such insects in injured blocks in the territory under con- 

 sideration does not warrant their association with the trouble. 



During the growing season the mites are to be found here and there 

 on the plants behind the buds, or in cavities and places offering 

 protection, and one or more may usually be found at the injured tip 

 under an adjacent bud or more or less covered by the mass of exuded 

 gum. Injury consists in the puncturing of the tender shoot near the 

 tip, which soon wilts, falls over, and turns brown and dry. 



At the injured point gum soon exudes, and the cessation of further 

 growth of the shoot results in its swelling out and in a notable in- 

 crease in the size of the adjacent leaves, which assume a deep glossy 

 green color. Lateral shoots soon push out, the number and position 

 varying widely, resulting in a crooked or bushy topped tree of but 

 little market value. As stated by one nurseryman, many of the 

 inserted buds which set normally, and were noted to be green and in 

 healthy condition during the fall, winter, and spring, died before 

 starting, or the shoot put out and died soon afterwards. The writer 

 has observed a good deal of this kind of injury, especially where the 

 work of the mites on the trees was later most in evidence, and this 

 injury to the dormant bud may also result from the mites. 



The characteristic injury some ten days or two weeks old is shown 

 in Plate XII, somewhat enlarged. It will be noted that the point of 

 injury is adjacent in each case to a leaf, where the mite probably 

 sought protection. The tips of the shoot above the point injured had 

 fallen over and were brown and dry, and in two of the examples the 

 accompanying exudation of gum may be detected. 



Some weeks later the injured shoots have the appearance shown 

 in Plate XIII, about twice enlarged. The stem has filled out and there 

 is a considerable mass of blackened gum and dirt on the tip of the 

 injured stem. In the example on the right, a strong lateral shoot has 

 developed. The large, congested leaves are also shown. 



On Plates XIV and XV is shown the appearance, in the fall, of 

 trees injured by the mite. As will be seen, the plants, except in one 

 instance, were cut off just below the bud. Most of the specimens 

 show two distinct attacks by the mite, with consequent formation 

 of lateral branches. 



As before mentioned, the peach bud mite, in the opinion of one 

 nurseryman — and a careful observer — is responsible for the killing 

 of the bud inserted in the seedling, as it is starting growth in the 

 spring, or after the shoot has pushed out. Plate XVI shows, con- 

 siderably enlarged, buds injured in this supposed manner. 



In some cases the attack of the mite does not cause the death of 

 the shoot, which continues to grow, but at the injured place there 

 develops a characteristic rusty scar of variable size and shape, which 

 in vigorous growing trees may become a long, rusty streak, extending 



