The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1892-08-20
THE PEACH YELLOWS.
Prof. Erwin f. Smith Makes Report of
IsInyestigations on the Eastern Shore,


His Investigations on the Eastern Shore.
Prof. Erwin F. Smith, of the Agricul.
| tural Department, has returned TO
| Washington after four weeks passed in
tue Investigation of peach yellows Ill the
orchards on the Eastern Shore of Mary.
| land. Professor Smith has had charge
| of the investigation of this disease for
the Agricultural Department for
number of years, and has had the
orchards of Maryland under observation
during all that time. He is, therefore,
parative prevalence of the di sease in any
locality. He said his observations of the
past fdw weeks have convinced him that
profitable peach growing on large scale
in Cecil county, Md, and Newcastle
county, Del, aud in the upper part of
Kent county, Md, and Kent county,
Del, was about over. The disease was
PROFESSIONALLY moving down the PENN
sula. and while it was not yet serious in
the two Kent counties, except in their
northern parts, it was making it's appear
ance in localities where it was entirely
unknown a few years since. Professor
Smith is making thorough study of the
disease under all conditions so as to be
able to suggest some remedy for it, but
little has been learned about it's true
nature, though it bias been very clearly
and satisfactorily demonstrated that it is
capable of being diffused by incubation,
and perfectly healthy trees Inoculated
with the diseased buds of trees affected |
with the yellows are almost invariably
similarly affected. One theory was that |
the yellows resulted from impoverish-
ment of the soil, but this has been dis
proved by the extensive experiments
with fertilizers of all kinds that have |
been carried on by Professor Smith in |
the orchards Of Maryland and Delaware.
He found that not only was there no
in the disease in the orchards |
treated with the fertilizers, but in some |
cases the disease seemed to be more |
prevalent in the fertilized land than in |
those not treated. The only remedy that |
gives promise of success IS the digging |
up and burning of every tree as soon as |
it gives any indication of being affected |
with the disease. In order to make this |
remedy effective, however, it requires |
the cooperation of the entire community |
large tract of country. 1t
has been tried with considerable success
in South Michigan, where for
all diseased trees has been enforced by
law. In New York and Canada, on both
sides of the Niagara river, q concerted
effort is also being made to stamp the
disease out, but it has not yet been con-
tinued long enough to demonstrate
whether it will bs successful or not. In
the Michigan region, however, the
growers believe they have succeeded in
getting the disease under control, and
there is no longer danger of the total
destruction of their orchards, as is the
CdSo III Mai ldDu duo bold ole. IL 10
very difficult to secure co operation
among the growers for the destruction of
diseased trees, for the reason that to
eradicate them all would require great
deal of work at first, and the results
would probably be discouragipg for some
years. Then, agaiL, many of the trees
continue to bear after one or more limbs
are affected, and it is very difficult to
induce a grower to destroy a tree that
gives any indication OF continuing even
in small degree profitable. Professor
Smith will make another visit to the
of Maryland and Delaware in
the month of September, and he expee
to gather additional information of value
the disease.