The morning call., 1891-12-16
DISEASED PEACH STOCKS.

Nurserymen in the East are Directing
very strongly to the wholesale counter
handing this winter of orders placed with
them last spring by California nurserymen
for peach stocks for budding purposes.
They are sending out letters and circulars
to California orchardists representing that
the alarm of ''yeliows" raised by the warn
ing of the State Board of Horticulture is
scheme of California nurserymen to keep
up high prices for trees. They are greatly
concerned over this, and it is probable that
their phlanthropic desire to put cheap trees
within the reach of the California growers
Will lead them to some strategic action in
order to place their stock here before the
season is over.
1t is to be hoped that there will be no
fruit-growerS in this State rash enough TO
place confidence in these representations of
the disappointed Eastern nurserymen, and,
by accepting their stock, to introduce into
our orchards the germs Of that fatal dis
ease, the "yellows"
Thus far California peach orchards have
enjoyed immunity from this disease, which
Secretary LelOng's recent report shows to
be very prevalent in the East, Its spread
extending from Massachusetts, to Virginia,
and westward to the Great Lakes and the
Mississippi River. The California grower
who has never witnessed the ravages of
the "yellowS" can hardly form any idea
of the havoc the disease is capable
of working. We have seen, in Central
New York, acre after acre of blighted
trees throughout a whole section, standing,
awaiting the ak and brush-fire to remove
them from the earth which they did but
cumber. In Newcastle County, once the
banner peach-gro wing section of the famous
peach-gr0wing State of Delaware. Mr.. Lee
longs report states that where, fifteen years
ago, were l, 900, $50 peach trees the orchards
are now thing of the past. and the amo unit
of peaches shipped from there is so small as
hardly to be taken into account
In Massachusetts,, Connecticut, New
York. New Jersey, Ohio, Maryland, Vir-
ginia, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Micht-
gan, Arkansas, Pennsylvania and Northern
Texas the "yellows" is ravaging the Or
cbards. and will, in all probability, eventu-
ally exterminEte them
The disease is mysterious and battling
one, obscure in its origin. and thus far set
ting at defiance all efforts to check its
progress. There are 0rchardists who de-
clare their belief that the disease cannot OBJ
tain footing in California. THE CALL
noticed, recently, one sapient Kern County
grower who had even gone so far as TO eX-
press an intention TO experiment by introduce
ing diseased stock into his orchard, claiming
that the vigorous soil and wonderful climate
OF California would cure instead of harbor-
ing the 'yellows." Any such foolhardy
tempting of fate as this should be promptly
sat upon. Californians who have not taken
leave of their senses will be quite willing to
mo oh % thal
that it does not thrive here, without at
tempting any such dangerous experiments.
Whatever may be our confidence in the
possibilities of our soil and climate, the
future success of the fruit industry Of this
State forbids the taking OF such risks. 1t
is natural that Eastern dealers, to whom
the countermanding this year of their Cali
fOrnia orders for peach stocks means the
loss of many thousands of dollars, should
be anxious to have their goods accepted
without question. They may indeed, lie
entirely sincere in representing their
stocks to be wholly free from any faint of
the 'yelOws," but California growers will
do well to see to it that the benefit of any
doubt in the matter be on their own side. We
cannot afford to introduce diseased stock
into the orchards of the State.
Ofchardlsts should demand from Califor
MIA nurserymen absolute guaranty that
stocks furnished by them are of Califo rnia,
Oregon or Washington growth. If they can
not obtain such guaranteed stocks they will
do better to procure few sacks of peach
pits, raise their own trees and hire their
budding done at the proper season.
This will be longer process, to be sure,
but there is no reason to believe that Cali
fornia will not be spared upon the earth to
raise fruit for several years to come, and in
matter so important the grower can af-
ford to make haste slowly.