The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-03-10
PEACH YELLOW"
ORCHARD DISEASE
(CohtInued from First Page.l

disease was absent or rare in Virginia
In 1883, though 1t was disastrously preva-
lent in Delaware and portions of Mary
land at that time. And there appears
to be no doubt but that 1t was the CHIEF,
probably the sole, cause or the decrease
of number of peach trees In two north
ern counties of Delaware, which, accord
ing to the United States census. de-
creased from 2,S23.s59 in 1890 to S52,110
in 1900; also in Kent and Queen Anne
counties, Maryland, In which the de-
crease was from 3,045,5O1 in 1890 to
1,0i9S99 I'm 1900
Dr Smith also states that the disease
- sporadic and subject to great out
breaks, such as some of the growers in
northern virginia have witnessed during
the past few years. Observations In yir-
gina indicate Tat 1t spreads from or
chard to orchard very slowly unless they
ne very close together; but once 1t has
salhed entrance, the spread Is very rapid.
Alter careful investigation, Dr. Smith
writes IBul. g. p. 49, Sec. Veg path.
', y Dept Agri.. 1889: The peach in
""Stig was literally swept out OF Berren
county lMich.) by yellows within ono
uecade. There can be no doubt of this
FROM being the foremost peach-prowln,
county IN Michigan, with an acreage
more thah equal to that of all the Others
eo, ,,,', IT became ninth in order, and
n az boast or only 500 acres. !.
~ exact 1lgures in 1874 cannot be oh.
.u, put the Following figures are nm.
proxlmately correct.
Year. Number of
1874 Area. Trees
.oai ....t............., 5000 e5b oon
i'of '.''.............. 500 5.so7
From the immediate vlcin;,, =, -,
, ,. fiaroor and st. Josephs. peach grow
ny disappeared almost entirely In I've,
we townships of Benton Harbor ana 81
'osephs contained only forty-seyen ao.as
u peach orchards, and the entire norttD
WI part or the county. including thos,
W. to"nships and seven others, had ~
aggregate of barely 80 acres 49,
these e,. ilgures do not tell the whole truth )
me adoption of a peach yel,ows Ia %.
IN Michigan about this time which was
vigorously enforced, caused the condi-
IONS TO change abruptly during the next
decade. In 1890 the United states cen-
hts reports only 42,s33 peach trees. bur
llils number increased by 1900 to 92s. ess.
OF more than twenty times the numbor
reported IN 1890. The growth of the in
dustry IN adjoining counties In Michigan
has been about as remarkable.
The fight against this disease is be-
ing continued in Michigan. which is evl-
denced by the following quotation by
frol. Taft, Chief Inspector, dated Sep
TENDER 10, 1906 The townships in when
the disease has appeared are required to
appoint commissioners, and where 1t is
taken promptly into the hands of the law.
is reduced to a minimum often one
tenth of per cent Gone tree in thou
sand). 1t will be seen from these figures
That the cost of protection by the erndi-
cation method Is very small, compared
with the cost OF spraying for other trou-
bles. We cannot urge too strongly, how
ever the necessity of concerted action,
where orchards lie close together, as they
do In few Of the larger peach growing
sections of this State.
THE census Of 1900 indicates that fif-
teen counties in Virginia then had moro
than $4,000 peach trees each. The In
dustry Is a growing one, and the data
collected by the Crop Pest Commission
shows that some counties now have more
than 100000 trees; yet the industry is
still In Its infancy. In many of the best
fruit sections of the State the opportuni-
ties are as good, and, in many ways bet
ter, for the development Of this profit
able Industry than in almost any other
State.
A thorough system of inspection and
destruction of diseased trees Is first ne
cessary wherever peach yellows has ar
peared Some counties have already
made an appropriation for this purpose.
and the work of inspection and destruc-
ton of diseased trees is being pushed
forward as rapidly as possible, under tic
supervision Of the Crop Pest Commits
q TIM ~