APPLE DISEASES. The apple is subject to a number of well-known fungous diseases, the more important of which are the rust, scab, and bitter or ripe rot. The rust is due to the fungus Jkestclia pirata. This fungus is peculiar in that it spends part of its life on the apple tree and part on the cedar. It muses yellow spots on the leaves of the apple in May or June, attacking the fruit about the seine time and rendering it • worthless. Upon the underside of the leaves and on the swollen, diseased parts of the fruit, vast quantities of spores are produced, which find their way to some cedar or juniper tree. Here they cause enlargements on the branches. These swellings, or cedar apples, as they are called, are half an inch or more in diameter, and ripen the next spring, when their horn-shaped, orange colored masses are easily to be seen. On these are borne spores, minute and easily blown about. Some of these find their way to the apples. The form on the cedar is known as Gymnospo rangium maeropus. Tnstead of depending upon the cedar for the alternate generation, the myce lium of the fungus may find its way into the buds and young twigs of the apple tree, and from them infest the next crop. Destroying all cedar trees and thoroughly spraying the trees with Bordeaux mixture (see FUNGICIDE) upon the appearance of the leaves will aid in keeping the disease in check. The apple-scab is caused by the fungus Fu.sieladium dendriticam. Both leaves and fruit of the apple and pear are subject to this disease. Upon the fruit. dark circular spots are formed. The centres of the spots are (lark brown or black, will light-colored edges. Often a num ber of spots run together, when the fruit usually cracks, showing hard, brown tissue within. The diseased area ceases to grow, and one-sided fruit is produced. Upon the leaves the appearance is somewhat similar to that upon the fruit, except that the light border of the spot is lacking. The leaves become crumpled and ragged, and finally fall off. This is undoubtedly the most serious
fungous disease to which apples and pears are subject, and no locality seems entirely free from it. Differences have been noticed in the suseepti bility to the disease of different varieties. Spitz enherg, Fameuse, Fall Pippin, and Harvest apples are especially subject to scab; while Ben Davis, King Fallawater, and many others are less seri ously affected. This disease and the loss caused by it may be prevented by thorough spraying with Bordeaux mixture or similar fungicide, three applications being given the trees at inter vals of about ten days, beginning at the swelling time of the buds. Tn many of the Southern States, as well as in northern localities, the bitter rot is the cause of much loss to fruit growers. This rot, due to the fungus Glmospo riunt attacks the fruit at any stage of growth. The diseased tissue becomes brown and very bitter; hence the name. Spraying as rocommended above, is the preventive treatment. A black rot caused by Splveropsis maloruni is similar to the bitter rot, and yields to the same treatment. A disease, known as the brown spot f Baldwins, is common to that and many other varieties. The flesh becomes dry and brown in any part of the fruit. Its origin is obscure, and reliable preventives are unknown. A serious . disease of the apple tree in Europe, lately found in the United States also, is that known as apple-tree canker, caused by Neetria ditissima. The fungus gains entrance through wounds, destroying the bark, and later attacking and destroying the wood. Where the attack is slight, cutting out the diseased areas and coating the cut surface with tar will prove beneficial. Where the tree is seriously affected, it should be cut down and burned, as it cannot be restored to health and is a menace to sound trees. This same fungus at tacks a number of other kinds of trees, as oak, alder, dogwood, maple, etc.