The Monmouth inquirer., 1895-09-19
The Peach YeIIows.

The Peach YeIIOWs.
MR.. DAVID BAIRD's OPINION.
CRIMSON CLOVER, GROUND BONE AND
POTASH WILL CURE THE MAJOR
ITY OF CASES.
In discussing the question of Peach
Y ellows recently David Baird, the
noted nurseryman of Manalapan,
Monmouth county, said: We are
asked by hundreds of correspondents
what they can do to prevent Peach
Yellows. Our advice is usually that
if the disease is in an advanced stage
it is better to cut down and burn the
trees; but if the yellows are just APP
pearing then try crimson clover and
ground bone or some form of potash.
1t will pay to use all three. Plow
the ground, fertilize with ground
bone and muriate ofpotash and seed
down with crimson clover. In the
Spring plow the clover under, some
time early in May. With this treat
ment we have an orchard, 10 years
planted, that looks as vigorous and
healthy as at years old, and we see
no reason why it may not be contin-
ued 10 years longer, or indefinitely"
Mr. Baird warmly commended the
following article as sound doctrine.
1t appeared in the American Agri-
culturist, and was written by w. f.
Massey, of North Carolina. He
writes
'sThe expert who was detailed by
the United States Agricultural De-
partment, for a number of years, to
Investigate the cause of the so-called
'yellows' in peach trees and to ad-
wise a remedy, has, after years of
practical work, given up in despair.
That the disease is accompanied by
multitudes of bacterial forms is eyi-
dent, but that any of these organ
isms is the direct cause of the disease
has not been proved. No remedy has
yet been found for q tree really at
tackled by the yellows. and the axe
and the fine saw seem the only
means for checking it. But in all the
peach growing districts there are
thousands of unhealthy, yellow-look
ing trees, that some have assumed to
have the disease. But their condi-
ton is really due to the ravages of the
root aphis, or TO the exhaustion of the
soil of elements needed for the sue
cassful growth of the trees. Now in
all of our coast country the great lack
of the ole cultivated soils, and, in
fact, in all of our coast soils, is pot
ash.
lit is well known that all fruit
trees are large users of potash, and
when, by their continued growth,
they have drawn heavily upon the
supply already scanty in these
light soils, the trees suffer from the
| L. = kn heo =
once says, 'yellows,' while really the
trouble is starvation. Now it is also
we'll known that trees and plants of
any kind, when in the weakened
growth are more readily at
tackled by insects; and when the mil
lions of root aphis begin to feed upon
the roots of the already weakened
tree, and it gets yellow and dies, the
folks who cannot diagnose a disease
correctly, say it is a sure case of yel-
lows. Now while a liberal use of pot
ash may not check a genuine case of
yellows, it is certain that heavy
/ dressings of kainit or muriate of pot
ash will bring into thrifty growth,
thousands of yellow, sickly trees
that are only being starved, and will
put them into condition to resist the
insect attacks, or even to resist the
real disease.
THAT soil conditions have a good
deal to do with the peach yellows il
evident. Several years ago when a.
the University of Illinois, Prof. Bur
rill showed me tree which he ha(
J brought with all the evidence of al
! advanced stage of yellows. saw i
in the autumn, after it had been ont
summer planted in the rich, blacl
prairie soil. 1t had started stauncl
and healthy growth, instead of tn,
wiry twigs on it when it came, ant
was evid emily growing out of it
The professor showed me a lot 0
healthy peach trees which he hat
i yainly tried to inoculate from tn,
diseased tree. But the diseas,
would not go on in his soil. 0
course / know it is an old story tina
potash will cure q diseased tree, bu
I am more and more convinced tha
there would be less of yellows
kainit or wood ashes was freely uset
upon peach orchards. 1t may no
cure diseased tree, but a plentiful
supply of potash will keep the tree
in such robust health tina
disease will have little chance a
them.
William Gould, a young Bridgetol
70 rmar was fOupd living uneOnsciOu