Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1907-03-27
Peach YellOWS and the Peach Industry

mas become so prevalent in some
sections of the State in the last two
years. This is one of the most
destructive of diseases. and. at the
same time, one that can be readily
controlled. provided concerted ac-
tion is taken by all the growers in
any one community.
The fruit usually ripens prema-
turely ON trees attacked by yellows.
The peaches on one or more limbs
may ripen, while those on the rest
OF the tree are still perfectly green.
yet, in other cases, the difference
In time of ripening may not be so
marked. Such fruit is likely TO
have rays of disccloration or red
dish spotted appearance extending
from the pit outward 10 the skin.
which is also red spotted. 1t is
often inspired or even bitter To the
taste. \ well-defined case usually
shows a busy growth Of slender.
WHY twigs at the base of the limbs.
but often these slender twigs oc-
cur at the ends of the limbs. and
they may form late i'm the summer.
after other growth has ceased. The
leaves ON those unhealthy twigs
are usually much smaller and more
pointed than healthy leaves. The
tree Il well ON the decline at this
stage.
DIR. Erwin S. Smith, one of the
leading authorities ON this subject.
who has visited all parts of the
country 10 investigate it. states (P.
M. /, Bul. No. /. Div. Veg. Path.
1S9D: "On all hands it is conceded
Ia toe one of the most serious with
which American fruit growers have
to contend. Formerly this disease
was confined To a small district on
the Atlantic Coast, but during the
lasttwentyyears, it has invaded dis
tant regions hitherto free, and has
entirely ruined the peach industry
over very considerable areas.
Within ten years the disease has
taken fresh and very strong hold
upon orchards in the Delaware and
Chesapeake region. the northen
portion of the peninsula, and has
destroyed thousands and thousands
of trees, rendering a great indus
try Improbable and precarious.
The loss continues in the infected
districts, the disease has appeared
In new localities and regions now
healthy are also threatened. The
yellows is certainy as far south as
southern Virginia and as far west as
Arkansas and northwestern Texas.
Peach growers are earnestly advlS-
ed to stamp out the disease upon
its first appearance and are warned
against the importation of trees
from the infected districts.
According TO the same writer the
disease was absent or rare in Vir-
ginia in 1883, though it was disas-
trcuoir in Delaware and portions
of Maryland at that time. And
there appears to be no doubt that
II was the chief, probably the sole.
cause of the decrease of numbers of
peach trees in twonorthern counties
of Delaware, which. according to
the United States census, decreased
from 1928, ,S59 in the 1890 to S52,-
1l9 in 1900: also in Kent and Queen
Anne Counties, Maryland, in which
the decrease was from 3,045, sol i'm
1890 to 1,049, S99 in 1900.
DIR. Smith also states that the
disease is sporadic and subject to
great outbreaks, such as some of
the growers in northern Virginia
have witnessed during the past few
years. Observations in Virginia
indicate that it spreads from or
char to orchard very slowly, unless
they lie very close together. but.
once it has gained entrance. the
spread is very rapid. After a
careful investigation, DR.. Smith
writes, (Bul. No. 8. p. As, Sec.
Veg. Path, L. 5. Dept. Agri.
1881: The peach industry was
literally swept out of Berrien
County Mich by yeIlows within
one decade. There can be no
doubt of this. From being the
foremost peach growing county
in Michigan, with an acreage more
than equal to that of all the others
combined, it became ninth i'm order
and could boast of only 5O3 acres.
The exact figures in 1874 can not