Appendix.] 



'27 



VI. Notice from a Work of Monsieur Lelieuh, on the hereditary 

 Diseases of Fruit Trees. By the Right Hon. Sir Joseph Banks, 

 Bart. K. B. P. R. S. $c. 



Read January 6, 1812. 



M. Lelieur, a French gentleman who holds the office of Ad- 

 ministrator of the Parks and Gardens of the Crown, has lately 

 published a book on the diseases of Fruit Trees. 



In this he asserts, that the disease called in French Le Blanc t 

 or Le Meunier, which shews itself by a mealy whiteness on the 

 leaves of the Peach Tree, or on the fruit itself, in blotches that 

 destroy the flavor, is an hereditary disease : that plants raised 

 from the kernels of trees, subject to this disease, will produce 

 plants in like manner infected, and which will communicate the 

 disease to grafts taken from sound trees inserted in them, and 

 that grafts from diseased trees will certainly be diseased, although 

 taken from branches that are quite free from it. 



He attributes the same hereditary continuance to the Gum, 

 a disease more mischievous possibly than any other, to our 

 grafted and budded stone fruits ; and he is of opinion that this 

 disease also may be entirely avoided, by grafting from trees that 

 never have been subject to its attacks. 



The importance of these facts to the interest of Horticulture, 

 will, it is hoped, justify the writer for offering this short account 

 of them to the Society, though they are taken from the Moniteur 

 of the 7th December, 18 11, the book nothaving been yet brought 

 into this country. 



The mealy disease, he says, is certainly not contagious, and he 

 instances a fruit-wall at Versailles, on which are many curious 

 Peach Trees, some of which are much damaged by it, while others 

 arc entirely free from it. 



