TES AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 



District responsibility is, I believe, no 

 new thing, nor can the sheep-farmer of 

 Natal claim originality in this matt«r. 

 The same thing exists in England in some 

 of the manufacturing districts, where 

 cotton goods are left in the fields to bleach 

 for some time, and where detection of 



theft is almost impossible. I believe the 

 system gives security where no security 

 was before possible, and I would com- 

 mend the matter to the grave attention, 

 not only of our sheep-farmers, but to 

 those who administer our laws. 



Peach Leaf'Curi. 



EXOASCUS DEFORMANS, FUCKEL. 



By Claude Fuller, Government Entomologist. 



PEACH leaf-curl is a fungus disease 

 which is much in evidence this spring, 

 having been observed by the writer from 

 the Coact to the Berg. It is claimed by 

 most authorities that the disease is due to 

 climatic conditions, and that varia- 

 tions in temperature and humidity 

 have much to do with the ap- 

 pearance or absence of the trouble. 

 Like the Black Peach Aphis the "curl" 

 has undoubtedly been more severe this 

 spring, and I can advance no better 

 evidence to this effect than the fact that 

 rot a single instance came under my ob- 

 servation in the spring months of 1899 

 and 1900, though I had been credibly in- 

 formed of its existence in the Colony for 

 the past ten years. Considering the early 

 rains which have accompanied the open- 

 ing year, and the continued variations of 

 temperature from hot sultry days to dull 

 cold ones, all experienced in the course of 

 even a week, it would appear that the con- 

 tention referred to is reasonably correct. 



The disease, however, is not due to 

 climatic conditions, but to a fungus para- 

 site which is, of itself alone, responsible 

 for the injury done to the tree, but the 

 propagation of which is dependent upon 

 climatic conditions, or, in other words, 

 the foliage and new growth of the peach 

 is particularly susceptible during" wet 

 seasons, and as wet seasons favour the 

 growth of fungus parasites, as a conse- 

 quence the attack is more severe and pro- 

 nounced. 



Peach leaf-cui'l is a fungus known as 

 E.voawas de/unnaiis.. which has a particu- 

 larly characteristic effect upon the foliage 

 and new growl lis of the peach and such 

 other fruits as it attacks. In Natal 1 have 



observed it so far upon the peach, plum' 

 and nectarine, but in other parts of the 

 world it has been recorded upon the 

 almond and apricot as well. The popular 

 name of the disease has reference, of 

 course, to the curled and mishapen foliage 

 which folloAVS the attack of the fungus, 

 and which is more or less roughly indi- 

 cated in the accompanying sketch. The 



Peach Leaf-Curl, 

 fruit and tender shoots are also attacked 

 by the parasite as well as the foliage. 

 Soon after the leaves are invaded they be- 

 come thickened and crumpled in shape 

 owing to the damage done to the cells by 

 the fungus. Leaves so attacked do not 

 usually retain their green colour long, but 

 assume a rosy pink or yellow colour. 

 Subsequently they become sickly and 

 drop from the tree, particularly when the 

 attack is severe. In mild attacks, how- 



