Smyrna times., 1889-03-13
Peach Yellows.
AN INTELLIGENT DISCUSSION OF THIS
GERAT EVIL BY DIR. ]. ]. BLACK.


GERAT EVIL BY DIR. ]. ]. BLACK.
The peach is an enigma, and if
treatment has by no means been r,
duced to an exact science, and its rt
Sponse IS rarely the same under th
same circumstances, as apparent (
the ordinary observer. | have grow,
peaches and experimental considera
oIy. ana yet l cannot say that | hav
hOIlced any facts to lead me to asser
that L have obtained invariably def
hlte results from the same line of ex
perlments. This is true as to fertiliz
ing the peach tree, in my observation
/ SUN assert one apparent fact. viz.
That peach trees that have been pIant
ed on land enriched by lima and grain
Ieu manure, are peculiarly liable tc
develop yellows. As to what TO us,
on peach trees as fertilizers. | am sure
as to potash and phosphoric acid. as.
| peclaily potash and uncertain as tc
| nitrogen, and vet as to trees fer.iIized
with all three, or with potash alone. o,
win phosphOric acid alone. I know
one or all will apparently renew growth
10 lue Tree; will give richer, larger and
better fruit. Yet, if one contends that
'hese trees SO fertilized are and will be
more liable to yellOws, l cannot either
conhrm or deny his assertions.
Facts can be cited to prove that sucb
trees were benefited and aoain facte
~ 10 equal number can be cited to prove
ViiaI suGh trees are more prone to take
on yeliows. Can we lay down the
rule that the richer the ground the
more liability there is to yellows. or its
cohVerseF Indications point to such
conclusion, but the arguments and
IacIs are by no means conclusive.
Ihen again the indications point to
such "a conclusion much more if nitro
Seneous fertilizers be used. than non
hilrogeneous; but the conclusions are
not constant enough to Justify a rule.
~ IS well known that in water culture
oi plants we can vary the potash and
ph0sphorlc acid almost indefnitalv
ana the plants will thrive; but if we
vary the nitrogen Only slightly the
pants Will not only not thrive but
may die. These points as to the nitro
gen are OF great Importance in peach
culture. Shall we use it III our com
merclal fertilizers for peaches and
snail we plant and plow under in oar
peach orchards such green, highly nj.
troSeneous crops as clover and other
leSumlnous plants? This is an imnor-
iant point, for many of our most intel
llgent growers are now advocating the
planting and blowing under of such
crops ana others again will tell YOU
'nat sowing an orchard to clover is a
sure way to run it out. The whole |
method is rank impiricism. that is
unsclentitic, and we want, light on this
nitrogen question at once, and we will !
get it.
Crowding trees will and does nro.
luce these diseases, just as crowding
human beings will produce zymotic /
diseases, and of course the more dense
Lne- crowding the more development
oI heterogeneous products, and thus |
yelloWs follows to districts where trees
increase in number, as population in
3reases to demand them and so in
delaware we had yellows first in New |
castle, next in Kent and now threat |
ening Sussex. Wv
AS to the starvation theory advoca-
ed by Prof Penhallow and others
some years since l know of orchards
reated as they recommended. and I
know Of none more unfortunate in
helr yielding to the destructive influ-
.nces OF the disease. Mr.. Erwin f.
smith OF the agricultural department
II washington, combats this theory of
i"ll exhaustion as a chief cause ofpeach
fellows In an able address deliver ed
before the New Jersey State HOrticul-
ural Society at Trenton last Decem-
Der. Inc low, freezing temperature of
iome OF our winters is given bv MANY
Is cause. This is probably not the
'ause, or it would have existed ALWAYS.
'ears and years ago, after a winter of
'ery low temperature. The South and
california will be the spots in which to
est this theory.
one oi the great causes of the rapid
destruction of our trees is no donht
.ue to the great demand for trees and
he planting and budding of Improper
tock arising from this demand. Prom
+ care IS not taken by the average
urseryman in getting his seed and his
,uds. 1t Is generally concluded from
he experiments of Mr.. Smith that
eeds from trees afflicted with yellows
ont sprout. Yet we know some do
prout; and again there is probably
lore danger in the bud than in the
eed and many, very many of our buds
re taken, if not from diseased trees.
'om districts and even from orchards
here trees with yellows are standing.
is all nonsense to talk of our nur-
arymen using only natural seed.
me gentleman in the business, for
HON | hold high degree of respect.
I'D me that there was not over one
lousand bushels of natural seed in the
larket in any one year. This esti-
late is probably below the amount
vailable, but shows the futilitv of
liking of all the peach trees raised
ere as from natural seed. / know of
'me instances where they are, say
lree orchards on a farm, subject to l
he same conditions. The old orchards {
re yet healthy. The orchards next in /
ONT OF age are inferior in health to !
he oldest orchards, and the orchards {
llrd in descent are dying or dead
lth the yellows. All these orchards /
ter the first were planted of seeds
nd buds from the first orchards, a true ]
reeding in and in. These are verv
riking facts. /