Evening star., 1897-02-18
FIGHTING PEACH YELLOWS
A Successful Use of Tennessee Pits foz
Stocks.
Extensive Planting of Orchards II
the NeighbOrhOOd Of Falls
Church In Recent Years.
Written for The Evening Star.

Cnurcn) was the finest peach-growing re-
gion that the writer had ever seen. The
climate and The soil seemed to be adapted
to 1t. in the highest degree The winters
never killed the peach buds nor the springs
the blossoms. Peach production then was
large and profitable industry at this
place. Bu- this cor dition was disastrously
changed when that mysteriously destruc-
tive influence, effect or force atmospheric
or otherwise nobody knows what but gem
orally called the ''yellows,' appeared. The
growers clearly knew that something was
the matter. While this strange condition
of unhealthfulness was steadily growing
worse, the growers picked the fruit every
season and marketed 1t so long as the trees
produced any. and then they died. never
heard one of the growers say that the de-
struction OF the trees was caused by the
"yellows,'' and 1t is safe to declare that
none of them here at that time knew what
killed the trees. / had heard of the yell
lows before the orchards here were at
tackled, and l presume that others had
heard of it, but it was in very remote re-
gions of our country. And 1 may safely
say that none Of our growers even dreamed
or thought of the possibility. not to say
the probability. of the yellows appearing
in our peach orchards. 1t Is equally GER
tain that none knew that 1t moved over
the country. My own view of 1t was that
it originated i'll a region with a cause con-
nneQ OF peCulldT TO tn1C region W HateNeT
may have been the opinion of other grow
ers, or whether they had any on the sub
ject, l know rot. l may digress here for
moment to say, possibly, with much in
tereSt to all peach growers, that 1t would
be exceedingly interesting act If some
one would seek out the region of its birth
and ascertain under what conditions the
disease originated. If its origin was spon-
taneous what were the local peculiar con-
ditions that gave birth to this intangible
force?
Following this destruction of the peach
orchards there was a period Of complete
discouragement with regard to peach grow
ing. Many of them didn't even clear away
the dead trees and burn them. is now
held to be absolutely necessary to rid the
ground of the presence of the mysterious
yellows. They seemed to think that peach
growing was at an end. with no proba
bility Of its being a success here again.
When the orchards were killed here there
was a locality to the north of this some
two or three miles that was nearly sur
rounded with timber that survived the
ruin here. The timber seemed to serve as
a protection Whether they have sue
cumbed to the destroyer or not l do no:
know.
But what was the extent of peach grow
ing here?
were 1900 trees. On the farm then owned
by Judge Gray there were 1000 trees. On
John Febreys farm there were nearly, If
not quite. 5000 trees. On Levi Parker's
Sprankle's farm there were 1000 trees.
On the writer's little farm there We're
from 300 to 400 trees. The remarkable fact
in regard to this orchard was that 1t pro.
duced the largest, most beautiful and the
finest favored peaches that up to that
time had been marketed in Washington.
These peaches brought the highest price
without any banter by the purchasers.
Here were 14.1O0 trees lost Besides these
orchards there were many others of various
sizes. from few trees up to 100 trees or
more. the product of which in the aggre-
gate gave to the Washington market a
large amount of peaches.
The destruction of these orchards. large
and small. when considered in the true
light by the deniZens of the city even must
be deemed Of calamitous character, while
to the growers it was a calamity OF the
most dfSheartening and impoVeriShing
character. 1t left them without thought
of ever attempting to grow peaches again
The Importance of these orchards to Wash
irgton's citizens comprised in the
fact that the proximity of the orchards to
the city ena bled the growers to carry the
fruit every morning to the market and to
the very doors of the consumers fresh and
in most tasteful condition
The old growers were in a condition to
need a demonstration of what could be
done in new attempt to grow the luscious
fruit again. Nothing short of this could
inspire them to undertake the once pros-
porous and profitable Industry again. AT
this Juncture Of the peach-growing interest
Mr.. ID. o. MunSon commenced an eAperi-
ment that promised good results. Peach
stones were obtained, l understand, from
the mountainous regions of interior Ten
uessee. where no yellows had ever been.
and the trees were natural, long lived and
healthful. The stocks from these pits were
budded from unaffected trees. The vari-
Seeding. Mountain Rose, Morris Red,
Troths Early, Stump the World. Chairs
Choice. Smock. Reeves Favorite and Sal
| way. These were varieties of acknowl-
md f1,a 81.
season from early to late. The old-time
Amsden and Alexander. which rfpened the
latter part of June, and Bilyens' late. the
latest of all peaches, but of inferior quality
are now discarded.
In 1898 1 visited this orchard when the
very earliest picking was being made. Ap-
preaching 1t in the distance the sight was
a beautiful one. The foliage was a dark
glossy green. and reflected the sunlight
with fine effect. The beauty of the scene
was sensibly enhanced by the abundance
of handsomely colored fruit on the trees.
The ground was in fine order, smooth and
free from vegetation. 1t is treated as often
as needed with a covering of bone ferti-
lfzer, well cultivated in. The roots Of the
trees are examined twice a year for the
borer. The trees from their size l should
judge were yielding possibly their first ap-
preciable crop. Mr.. Munson picked that
season 700 crates and as abundant as
peaches were they netted him @ cents
crate. This orchard contains 1900 trees.
1t Is a gratifying fact that we have this
orchard for an "object lesson" and it is
the only one in this region, to show the
possibilities of peach production. The peach
growers took heart from Mr.. Munson's
success, and commenced to set orchards.
In the fall Of 1894 Mr.. Duke Torrison
set 900 trees. Mr.. Marr set 100 trees. Mr..
La Shane set 900 trees, VIM. Sprankle set
500 trees, Mr.. Munson set 1890 trees. The
varieties used were Geary's Hold On,
Ringolds Mammoth Cling. Grand Admiral
Cling. Wonderful. Crosby. Wheatland.
Late Red Rareripe. Globe. Early Louise
Early Canada, Brandywinc and French's
Late.
In 1895 visited Mr.. Mun,on's orchard
again. when the fruit was nearly ready
for picking. The trees had made a very
perceptfble growth. The growt. was in the
same excellence Of tilth. and looked well.
and although it was the "on year. for
peaches. the trees were fairly well get with
fruit Of good size and handsome coloring.
This seasons visit established with me the
possibilities of peach growing here again.
There were three times many trees
set the spring of 1886 as in 1895. With the
course pursued by Mr.. Munson in really
obtaining new stock for his first orchard
1t would be a rational conclusion that II
the yellows was not in his stock, as 1t