Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1907-07-06
TALK ON PEACH YELL0WS
Fruit Growers inspect Paradice
Orchard.
BEST WAY TO GET RID OF PEST
No One Knows What They Are But
Only Way to Exterminate Them
is TO Xiii Trees.

1 Is 10 MI tEGGes
In the Paradise orchard, west Of
Hedgesville, owned by Hon. |. w.
Wood on Friday the fruit growers Of
Berkeley and Morgan counties were
1 told about the disease known as
peach yellows, little about its origin
and much about its spread and cure
by Professor M. B. Waite, of the ag-
ricultural department at Washing
ton. Several others present made ad-
dresses at theacall of the presiding Of
ficer, ]. H. Stewart, director of the
West Virginia Experiment station.
Those present were Professor M. b.
Waite, J. H. Stewart, e. G. Henshaw,
Charles p. Light, II. l.. Smith, C. C.
Westrater, ID. Gold Miller, d. Gold
Miller, jr., NJ. l.. Dorm, H. s. Cushwa,
DR.. p. Karutz, C. ]. Seibert, S. H.
Fulton of the Sleepy Creek Orchard
Co., formerly of Washington; John A.
Fulton, A. ]. Fulton, Michigan; Peter
Keesecker, Chris Hovermale, w. b.
Butts, Dayton Butts, Chauncey Butts,
Edward Statler, Morgan county; l..
Clyde Borum, Jacob Hesse, s. Kee-
seeker, l. w. Wood, J. E. Norrington,
j. w. Shriver, j. H. Riner, L. G.
Roney, William Roney, M. X. Butts;
Samuel and Jacob Keesecker, two of
! the Oldest residents of the valley;
Daniel Stuckey, Cecil. Woods, Creigh-
ton 'Tabb, Charles Wheeler and NJ.
X. Butts, Berkeley county.
Professor Waite, when called upon,
defined the different lines as to
where the disease is more prevalent
and said that they didn't know the
cause, but did know that the way to
handle them was to dig up the infect
ed trees and burn them. He compar-
ed the disease to smallpox and yellow
fever, saying that as they isolate
those and take othsr precautions to
prevent their spread, as the tree was
not as valuable as human being,
the economical way was to dig it up
and burn 1t and replace with heal
thy tree within year. He cautioned
| planters to be careful in the selection
of stock and try to select such as
were not already contaminated. When
asked whether it would be a good
plan to buy trees from the south,
where trees were, immune, his answer
was that it depended on where the
seed came from, that 1t was possible
to ship such infected trees into a
community where the yellows were
unknown, which made it difficult to
tell just what was best.
j. H. Stewart told about the law
bearing upon the subject, saying that
a law had been passed which made
it his duty to appoint inspectors to
go through the orchards, inspect the
trees and notify the owners to destroy
them. While he hoped the owners of
tn trees would realize the impor-
lance and necessity of carrying out
the instructions given by the exam
liners, by destroying the trees, but if
| they failed the law made it necessary
| for him to have the trees destroyed
and the bill presented to the owner,
but which he hoped would not be
necessary
| than aa1tnA proS
| II. Fulton, who gave his experience
with his large peach and apple or.
chard at Sleep Creek, saying that he
paid good deal of attention to the
trees on other farms and wherever he
found yellows he would either get
them to destroy the trees or give
him permission. Some had develop
ed within the last year within the
danger line, which he hoped to get
removed. Anywhere within mile is
regarded as dangerous.
Postmaster Alex. Clohan gave the
benefit of his experience, saying that
he believed in fighting the enemy
and expected to go right on painting
peach trees regardless of the yellows,
that he believed the loss could be re-
duced to very small per cent by
following the plan outlined by Profess
sor Waite. A few years ago when
the San Jose scale made it's appear
ance it was so discouraging that very
many decided to quit the business,
but now they know so well how to
control the scale that they don't think
about disseminating the business on
account of the scale and there never
have been any obstacles that mans
genius couldn't overcome
DR.. Karutz told Of his experiences
said that it would be we'll and good
if the growers would do as Professor
Stewart would tell them to do, and
while he hated to advise one neighboi
l - hc