402 BUI.I.ETIN 75 



The only check for the spread of the yellows is extermination 

 of the affected trees, and I doubt if a better method will ever be 

 discovered. There is much difference of opinion as to when and 

 how the trees should be removed. If but a single branch is affected 

 and the disease shows only in the fruit Jt is considered to be safe to 

 burn the diseased branch and fruit at once, but to allow the remain- 

 der of the tree to ripen its crop. As soon as this crop is off, pull 

 up and burn the tree, root and branch. If the disease appears 

 upon a tree not in fruit — even if upon but a single branch of it — 

 I should forthwith, as soon as the disease was discovered, pull out 

 the tree and burn it. There is a tendency in this state to allow 

 the trees to stand until fall work is done or until some other con- 

 venient season shall arrive ; but growers who practice such 

 methods are not long troubled with peach orchards. 



This method of immediate extermination has been proved time 

 and again to be completely effective in holding the disease at bay. 

 The experience of the Michigan peach growers is often cited, and it 

 is undoubtedly the best illustration extant of the effectiveness of 

 timely and cooperative effort. The oldest commercial peach 

 region of Michigan is that lying in Berrien county, in the south- 

 western corner of the state. Here the yellows first appeared. 

 At that time, the disease was little understood, and growers tem- 

 porized with it, and tried to cure it. As a result, the entire 

 peach industry was wiped out, and small fruits, grapes, and truck- 

 gardening took its place. Lying twenty-five miles north of this 

 St. Joseph region and then separated from it by several miles of 

 wild country, is the South Haven region. In this second region 

 the disease finally appeared and destroyed a number of orchards, 

 but the people, profiting by the disastrous experience of their 

 neighbors upon the south, soon began a vigorous war of exter- 

 mination against it. The local pomological society united the 

 leading peach growers in the crusade, and the state legislature 

 was prevailed upon to pass a law providing for the legal exercise 

 of police powers upon the part of townships. This was probably 

 the first American law aimed at a disease of plants, and from it 

 have sprung the perfected laws of recent years relating to yellows, 

 black-knot and other diseases and insect pests. There were some 

 growers of influence who resisted the law, but upon the whole the 



