19-2().] 



Pests DiiuNci Ar(irsT 



489 



crop in the following season. It is quite common for l)()th the 

 turnip gall weevil and " cluh root " to he present in the same 

 root. 



Fruit. — Although little can he done now to check the fruit 

 diseases which are prevalent, it may be well to note for future 

 guidance the treatment which should be adopted for certain 

 diseases. 



Plum trees which show signs of Silver Leaf should be marked, 

 if it is not possible to deal with the disease at the moment. 

 Where only a branch is infected, this should be cut off at once 

 well back, so that no brown stain is visible in the wood. The 

 cut surface should be treated with Stockholm tar. Trees that 

 are completely diseased should be cut down either at once or in 

 the winter, as if left they only die and produce spores which will 

 infect other trees. It may here be pointed out that under the 

 Silver Leaf Order, 1919, it is compulsory for growers to remove 

 all dead w^ood on plum trees before the 1st April of each year. 



Many apples will be found marked either with sooty blotches, 

 or, in the case of varieties such as Cox's Orange, and also, more 

 frequently, in pears, with deep cuts and cracks. This blotching is 

 due to the attacks of the apple or the pear scab, and is the cause 

 of great loss of fruit every year through disease, w^hile the value 

 of saleable fruit is depreciated by its bad appearance. It is now 

 too late in the season for remedial measures to be of much 

 benefit, hut thorough and careful pruning in winter will remove 

 much of the fungus in its hibernating form, and by spraying with 

 Bordeaux mixture or lime sulphur before and after blossoming 

 in spring a clean crop can be obtained. Full particulars are 

 given in Leaflet No. 131. 



Bushes which are affected with American (jooscherrti mildew 

 should now be treated by ' ' tipping ' ' the diseased shoots on the 

 older bushes, as no further growth may be expected. Infection 

 of the soil by the falling winter spores may in this way be 

 prevented. Young bushes, however, should not be tipped until 

 later, except on hot soils, as fresh growth is very liable to develop 

 and become infected with mildew. 



In some districts the common stran-hcrni leaf s/jof is very 

 severe. The damage caused by this disease may h(^ checked if 

 loose straw^ is spread over the fields and fired. The diseased 

 leaves are thus burnt without the crowns being injunnl. and new- 

 leaves will appear free from the disease. 



