Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-04-16
PEACH rELLoWs.
What the Government Has Done to In
vestigate the Disease--Remedy Proposed

What the Government Has Done to In
vestigate the Disease--R Remedy Proposed
SPECIAL Correspondence of Gazette and journal
NEWARK, April io.--Especially interest
ing to peach growers and important in
connection with the present peach yeliows
bill before the Delaware Legislature is the
following extract taken from the horti-
culturist's report in the bulletin of the
Cornell College IN. W Agricultural FIX
pertinent Station recently received at the
experiment station here;
1.-The yellows Of the peach is spreading
in western New York and is becoming a
verv serious menace to peach culture. In
vestigation into the nature of the disease
has been carried on for the last two or
three years by the department OF agricul-
ture at Washington. Little has been said
concerning these Investigations, and ,peo-
pie are not aware of the extent to which
they have been carried. In order TO learn
something of their scope visited the Del,
aware peninsula in October and examined
the field experiments in progress. Or. r..
L. Smith is the special agent of the de-
partment who is investigating the disease
He has 80 acres of orchard under direct
experiment, 40 of which, scattered through
II orchards in Delaware and Maryland,
are devoted to fertilizer tests These tests
are above 100 in number and comprise
treatment with nitrogen, potash, phos-
He has tried all of the fertilizer remedies
recommended for the cure and prevention
| of the yellows. These have been upon all
kinds of soil and upon trees of all ages,
| They have been conducted with exceeding
| care and comprise the largest field ee.Nper-
iments of this nature upon plant disease
yet made in this country.
ut is evident upon examining these
| orchards that there is no fertilizer nor
combination of same, which will either
cure or prevent yellows. Many of the fer
| tilizers, especially those rich in nitrogen,
have u wonderful effect upon the vigor OF
the tree, but they do not prevent the vel
lows or cure it. All the investigations so
far made go to show that yellows is spe.
cific disease. entirely independent of soil
or surroundings Many investigations in
| other directions have been made, and
many important facts concerning the
nature of the disease have been obtained,
but so far its cause has not been de
termined,
THE New Jersey, Delaware and Mary,
land orchards are being rapidly decimated
| with the yelows in fact, the upper por.
ton of Delaware is practically devastated
of healthy peach trees and the upper parl
of the Chesapeake peninsula in Maryland
is no longer a profitable peach country
There has been very little united
effort towards controlling the yellows in
IneSe TeHlulst anu lOT bIlhl ledspli Nllls
present distinction threatens the industry
1t is useful to compare in this region with
those of the Michigan peach district where
define law was early enacted and which
has been enforced vigorously. In Michi
gan the yellows is on the decrease and or
chard planting is on the increase, IL
Delaware and Maryland the yellows is OF
the increase and orchard planting on tn,
decrease.
"The only remedy so far known is thu
eradication Of the tree as soon as the dis
ease is seen. The yellows is constitutional
and even when we have found the cause
will probably remain incurable We
there is no reason for undue alarm be
cause the experiment of the Michigan
growers has proved conclusively tina
radical measures will keep the disease il
check or almost eliminate it from any
country. The New York law is essential,
the same as the Michigan enactment an
il it is rigidly enforced by healthy publ
sentiment there is no reason why peacl
culture should not flourish, Otherwise
sooner or later, our peach industry mus
PERISH