Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1823-07-19
AGRACUATVRAI..
DISEASE OF PEACH TREES.
To the Editor of the American Farmer.


SIR-Having lost some fine young
Peach Trees yearly, by a kind of decay,
showing itself early in the season, in the
color and size of the leaf, and then in a
defect of the fruit; examined the OPT
Mons of gardeners on the subject, but
was much disappointed in their theory.
They attributed it to worms about the
root Of the tree-now am certain that
not one tree in ten, Of mine ever had a
worm about them, and moreover, con-
slider them when present, quite made
quate to such sudden and universal in
jlry. On weighing every fact that has
come to my knowledge, have no doubt
but the damage is done by the irregu-
larily of the weather, in the months of
February, March, and perhaps April,
fsrther north than Maryland. Trees
that grow in rich cultivated ground,
such as fine peaches require, will often
start their sap, if the weather is very
warm for week, at least two or three
weeks before they should. Ii is no no.
yelty, in this state, 10 see the beautiful
emblems Of spring enveloped in the
stern realities of winIer-w hat then be-
comes of the sap that flowed when such
change OF temperature, takes place !?
Will it recede mo, it cannot to any
extent. L must either corrupt or form
very imperfect vessels for the first
running IF the sap, when the weather
continues at seasonable temperature,
is destined to form set oFnezv vessels,
and these vessels are to perfect the EN- :
h,yon leaves and fruit. II, therefore,
these are imperfect, all that depends up
OH them will be imperfect II is 10 ar
gumcnt to the contrary, that we canrot
vssliy ulsilnSutsn The iruPSrfecllon III
the blossom; for we know that the bios.
som is Of a harder nature than either
leaf or fruit, and requires comparatively
bnt little nourishment. Ii is quite a
temporal thing, and appears to US to
have lost nothing, though future obserya-
tiops may determine lis period BETTER
We may truly say, that tree is formed
the same year it bears; for all previous
layers are as bone in animals, though
they may be capable Of furnishing some
nourish1 ent-and when a tree has been
completely disappointed in forming its
bark, and we see the imperfecton ofthe
fruit, we should not speak unph'osophi-
cal,y if we said that it was the fruit of
the previous year out of time. In such
cases the tree has born twice from one
set of vessels. The tree does not grow
that year, and generally falls off, and
often dies. In one instance where a
tree failed for four years, observed that
there were several strata in the bark
evidently shelving that instead ofa layer
Of white wood every year, which would
have taken place if the bark had formed
perfectly, that the imperfect vessels had
remained with the bark and formed a
stratum. 1t appears very plain, that in
the fall of the year that the interior bark
forms straight vessels, which adhere to
the white wood Of the former year, and
in this state Of unity the tree bears the
winter, and in the spring the Increased
temperature acts on these new iormed
vessels, and they become, as it were,
maternal, and make in turn new bark,
which two constitute the tree ofthe year.
Dr.. Hopes experiments shew that bark
will make white wood under certain cir
cu,nstances, and every American knows
that the white wood will replace the
bark when stripped of-even in whole
orchards, as has often been tried.*
The plan required to prevent this dis
ease, isvery obvious. but the accomplish.
mem much more difficult, to check the
saft till the latest heriod.-Bui how shall
this be done? Will laying the roofs
bare in February assist Will ramming
snow about them late in winter, and CO.
vering that snow to prevent its escape
Will planting some early vegetables, I
In the economy ofvegetables, when part