The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-08-15
NUTMEG STATE PEACHES
How Connecticut Farmers Have
Beaten the "Yellows."

From the NetU York Sun.
HARTFORD, Aug. 11.-About forty years
ago Connections was one Of the great peach
producing states of the union; then sud
denly the ''yellows" attacked its trees and
every one Of them was destroyed. Before
that disease appeared Connecticut peaches
were famous. They were big, handsome,
JUICY, delicious OF flavor, and the trees
were SO prolific that not half the fruit
could be marketed at any price; so peach
growers used to turn their pigs into their
orchards In August and September each
Will write letter six months hence, and
perhaps year later you will unknowingly
find it incorporated In a summer novel with
yellow covers. Thus the stock of paper
that supplies the world is used over and
over again indefinitely through the me-
dunn of the scavengers, the dealers in junk
and the factories, which are continually
engaged III Transforming the discarded ma
terial into fresh and clean sheets.
year. The pigs gobbled up the peaches as
fast as they dropped from the trees, great
luscious "red-rGre-ripes" and other varieties,
that we're as lovely as painting. For
twenty-five years after the ''yellows" came
hardly any one attempted to raise peaches
In this state. A tree grew oil right, with
glossy leaves and a thrifty, healthy look,
y
lows attacked it; its leaves curled up and
became Of sickly yellow hue, and In few
weeks 1t was dead.
About five or eight years ago, however, q
bright yankee genius, who had noted the
career Of peach tree in Connections, made
up his mind that he could beat the yellows st
its own game. an plant an orchard of
trees this year." said he mentally, land I'll
reap Just one harvest of peaches from them
before the yellows get after them. Then
they'll die, Of course; but I'll make it rule
to keep on planting an orchard each year.
In that way I'll have at least one orchard
that is coming into bearing as an earlier one
is going to grass with the yelIows I'll GER
tainly get one good crop of peaches a year !;
and since Connecticut peaches are the best
in the world and fetch tho highest prices.
ought to make money, ehp
The genius answered his own question in
the only practical way; he tested his plan ;
it worked beautifully, and he made bar
rel OF money. Then a host of imitators
came into the field, and for the past half
dozen years peach orchards have been
springfng up in all parts Of this land. The
Connecticut peach crop is now an important
one. especially important this season, since
the Maryland. Delaware and New Jersey
crops are likely to be far below the average.
From $1,000 to 100000 baskets of Connect
cut peaches, probably, will be marketed
this year and they will fetch tempting
price. SsiH, the yellows are unusually
active and malignant this year,
and the yield may be somewhat
less than the estimate named The
biggest Connecticut orchards are in the
Connecticut valley, where the Connecticut
Valley Company owns many thousand trees.
The way in which yellows affect the fruit
OF tree recently attacked Is to cause it to
ripen prematurely and become "speckled, -
then it quickly decays About $4,000
bushels will be spoiled in that way In the
state, it is thought. Frost IN the early fall
is also dangerous enemy OF the late fruit,
and single frost two or three years ago
destroyed $4,000 worth Of peaches in one
Hartford orchard. To meet the sggressiy
onslaught on the part OF the yelloWs this
season, many owners Of orchards are
promptly telling and burning the trees; 9TH
ers will first gather the prematurely ripened
peaches, sell them for second rate fruit and
then cut down and burn the trees. In this
way the peach growers hope to modify the
acute phase OF the disease. Agents of New
York and Boston fruit houses are in the
state. making large bids for the fruit on the
trees. In two instances they have bought
all the peaches Ia an orchard for 81 so a
basket. 1t is the intention Of the growers,
who had an important business meeting O
day or two ago, to keep most OF the crop in
the state, however. They have arranged TO
place in New Haven 1900 bushels: in
Hartford, 10000; in Meriden and Water
bury, each 1000; in New Britain and Mid
dleton, each 5000; In New London and
Norwich, each 1900, and many smaller
towns will receive proper tionate shipments.
Springfield, Mass, will get 1000 bushels.