The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1902-03-25
Horticulture.
AN INTERESTING PAPER ON PEACH
LEAF CURL,
Also Some Notes Regarding Two Other Pa
pers by A. & NJ Students.


College Biological Club, many topics
of interest were presented by differ
ent speakers. The three principal
papers on the programme are out
lined below.
The first was by Mr.. Foster, who
showed some young tomato plants
that were badly infected by damping
off. This is a disease caused by a
fungus known to science as Gppg-
tbioIna. It's control is difficult in any
other manner than by diminishing
dampness of the air, and heightening
the general vitality of the plant.
The second paper was by Mr.. Bull
look, who made an interesting talk
on "Seed Distribution, showing
specimens to illustrate how different
seeds take advantage of the wind
and animals to travel to distant
places to spread their race.
The third paper was by Mr.. Colt,
''PEACH LEAF CURL; IT'S NATURE AND
TREATMENT"
Peach leaf curl or, as it is some
times called, leaf blister, is a disease
which affects the leaves, flowers,
shoots and fruit of the peach tree.
Its action is most severe in the
spring of the year, shortly after the
leafng of the trees, and the greatest
injuries are caused in wet seasons
and humid localities. The leaves
become enlarged, thiokened, much
curled and distorted. The healthy
green color changes to siokly ap
pearance and the leaves soon fall.
The young fruit ceases to grow,
willis and also falls. If the oondi
tions Of the atmosphere are right,
second growth of leaves will come
out, but the terminal growth gener-
ally dies. In severe attacks young
trees are frequently killed.
This disease is confined to the
peach and it's near of kin, as it CT osses
on she almond and several varieties
of nectarines.
The distribution of peach leaf curl
in the United States extends from
the Gulf of Mexico to Canada, and
from the Atlantic to the Pacific.
A very conservative estimate of
the loss oocasioned by peach leaf curl
in the United States places the fig
ures at the average of $1O.95 per
acre for the acreage reported as
suffering from the disease. The an.
nual loss to the United States is esti-
mated at $4,000, 600 or more.
AFUNGoUs DISEASE
The direct cause of the peach leaf
curl is a parasitic fungus (E1OGscWs
DeformaaWs). Many growers were
long of the opinion that the curl was
caused by certain humid conditions
of the soil and atmosphere. 1t is
now acknowledged, however, to be
due to this fungus; and it has been
proved that if we can control the
growth of the fungus, we can con-
troll the disease. In fact, the control
of this fungus has bsen found to be
practical, simple, and inexpensive
For long time it was thought that
the spread of EGOGScWS DeforDa0Ws
was occasioned by perennial myce,
Liuna which wintered over in the
tissues of the twigs and branches.
This, to certain extent is true, but
late Investigations have proved that
the spread of this disease Is almost
wholly caused by spores which win.
ter on the outside of the twigs,
around the newly formed buds.
Before this was discovered, there
was no way to combat the disease,
except by pruning off the infected
branches and destroying them. Bat
since We now know that in the ma
jority of cases infection is caused by
spores, we may at once take advan,
tage of the spray pump and at very
little expense almost wholly elimi-
nate this disease from our orchards. |
Badly infested branches usually |
die during the year, while in few
cases they may support a living nay-
ceLiun through the winter which
may infect the opening buds In
spring. Most diseased branches are
easily detected by the eye and may
be removed by pruning off the dis
eased parts a few internodes below
the swelling.
In almost all cases infection occurs
r.