THE PEACH ROT 



75 



ing destruction whereyer they light on a blossom. This 

 injury is sometimes called ^* peach blight/' Some blos- 

 soms so injured are represented at the right in Plate VIII^ 

 from a drawing published by Professor F. D. Chester. 

 Some tufts of spores on a twig are shown at the left of 

 the same figure. 



Treatment. — The remarks upon this subject con- 

 cerning the plum (p. 58) are equally applicable to the 

 peach. Experiments made in Delaware indicate that a 

 considerable proportion of the rot may be preyented by 

 proper treatment. Professor Chester recommends the 

 folloyvdng procedure : Pick off late in autumn or early 

 in y/inter all mummied fruit on the trees. It w^ould be 

 better to remove it at the time of picking, or soon after. 

 Spray with simple solution copper sulphate (one pound 

 to twenty-fiye gallons water) early in spring before fruit 

 buds begin to swell. Spray again with ammoniacal so- 

 lution copper carbonate as soon as these buds begin to 

 swell, and repeat the application just before the buds 

 open, to prevent injury to blossoms. ^^As soon as the 

 fruit shall haye reached full size and begins to show 

 signs of color, make a third application. This should 

 be followed by two or three other applications at close 

 intervals of five or seven days during the ripening period. 

 A heayy rain followed by vvarm weather may, at this 

 vital period, cause the peaches to rot rapidly ; hence, 

 due regard should be given this point in regulating the 

 exact time when a spraying should be made. Due atten- 

 tion to this principle may save hundreds of baskets of 

 fruit, and the grower can well afford to make spraying 

 at the right time his first business." It may be doubted, 

 however, whether these late applications are advisable, 

 from a sanitary standpoint. Treatment w^th copper 

 mixtures at frequent intervals during the ripening 

 period means the presence of copper salt upon the mar- 

 keted fruit, unless it is washed off after picking. 



